Our Styles of Life
by Jetzelda
Summary: Roxas wanted nothing more than to live a normal magic life with his family, but the new students and his dark past are saying otherwise, Can the new student save Roxas from his past that wants to drag him back? AU AkuRoku SoRiku Zemyx Cleon
1. Chapter 1

This is a new story I thought up in my friend's room a few weeks back. It's sorta a cross over between Grim Grimoire and KH, but not really because I'm stealing the ideas about magic.

There is yaoi so if you don't like it turn back now.

Please enjoy,

"..." Talking

//...// Mind to mind talking.

* * *

There are four types of magic in the world.

Glamour, the magic of light, life, nature, and healing.

Sorcery, the magic of destruction, ruin, control, and dark.

Alchemy, the magic of creation, knowledge and science.

Necromancy, the magic of death.

The magics are balanced by a wheel of strength. One magic is weaker than another. Glamour bests Necromancy, which bests Sorcery, which bests Alchemy, which bests Glamour.

There also some little details, for example, ghosts that Necromancers use are not bound by walls and are not harmed by solid blows.

Each person that is born with magic is drawn to one of the four, but that does not mean that they cannot learn to use another, the one that they are drawn to will just be the strongest that that person can use.

Necromancy is the rarest type of magic for people to be drawn these days. After the Haunt wars Necromancy was shunned and Necromancers were exiled. The mass majority of Necromancers has died out and the only way to determine their descendants from other magic users without battle is their temperature.

* * *

_~Please stop mommy!_

_You're no child of mine!_

_Mommy!_

_Hurry up and get that demon away from me!_

_Mommy please!_

_I will be your leader and trainer._

_Pleas stop._

_How could you mess up a simple rune like that?!_

_Please…Stop it._

"Stop!"

The blond shot up gasping for air. He sat in his bed sweating like mad through his clothes and sheets. He ran a hand through his matted and sweat drenched hair.

"I hate those dreams." He muttered.

The blond sighed dejectedly and kicked his comforter off. The comforter was black and white checked, as was the rest of his room, he had two black walls and two white walls. His desk was black and his chair was white. He had a dice rug on black carpet.

A white glow seethed through his blinds illuminating his room just enough for him to see. He crawled to the window beside his bed and peaked through the blinds out into the night. Nothing seemed out of place. Then why did he have that dream. His past didn't seep into his dreams unless THEY were nearby.

Roxas reached out, not with his hands, with his mind.

The blond was an empath, he could feel and hear the thoughts and emotions of people around him. It wasn't like telepathy, you can control telepathy. Empaths couldn't help it when the thoughts and emotions flowed into them.

His twin brother Sora was fast asleep and dreaming about their beach trip this weekend, and confessing to Kairi, how cute. His younger adopted sister Namine was dreaming about Hayner, he must've been flirting with her again. The blond made a note to destroy Hayner in the morning as his mind wandered to his elder brother's room. Cloud was sleeping soundly in the arms of his lawful husband Leon

So his brother was gay, it didn't bother him, he and his twin were bi themselves.

Nothing was amiss in the house. It was good that nothing was wrong, but it still didn't explain the dream.

//That's what you think.//

The blond jumped a little at the voice in his head. He knew who it was.

//Z? That you?//

//Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, I'm alone.//

//Kay…But what're you doing here?//

//Warning you. Xemnas has decided to transfer Vexen to a school. I'm still lying to him, but I can't guarantee you won't be discovered unless you leave.// The voice was serious, but Roxas could feel the sadness through his voice.

//……I understand. But I won't run away. I can't force the others to move again. And I couldn't bear to leave them. So I'm staying.//

//Heh, I didn't think you'd listen, but it was worth a try. Just be careful Roxas.//

//I will Z. See you soon.//

Roxas sighed when the connection broke. It was going to be a rough school year.

Even more so than he knew.

* * *

"……Roxas……"Someone cooed. "Wake up Roxas…" Oh, he knew that voice.

"Nngmpf…….Go away Nam…" He mumbled into his pillow.

"I can't, Sor-Sor said to wake up 'cause he's leaving in fifteen minutes."

"Ugh….Fine." The boy groaned as he sat up. His hair was messier than usual and his oversized T-shirt was sliding down his shoulder. Namine giggled.

"Roxas, you look like you're just asking to be molested ."

"Oh,hush you yaoi lover." Roxas retorted smirking as he stumbled over to his closet. His room needed cleaning.

"It's Sora's fault." Namine chided as she made Roxas' bed for him. She didn't have to, but the young blond always wanted to help the family that adopted her as much as she could.

Namine was three years younger than the twins. Sora and Roxas were Sophomores at Twilight Heights while Namine was a seventh grader at Destiny middle school.

At that moment Sora chose to poke head into the room. "What's my fault?"

"You poisoning Namine's sweet little mind is your fault." Roxas yelled from the closet.

"Me?" Sora gave an indignant look. "How?"

"Oh Ichigo!" Roxas cried in and imitated mocking voice. "You cannot die! For I love you with the passion of a thousand burning suns!" The voice suddenly dropped lower. "It's too late Byakkuya, If I don't die now, Lord whathisface of all evil will rule the world. Just give me one last kiss."

Sora, Namine and Roxas burst out laughing at the end of the dramatic dialogue.

"Oh! Yeah, But Namine likes it so it isn't poisoning her mind."

"So if I liked cyanide it wouldn't kill me if I drank it?"

"Well yes, I mean no, I mean…"

"Cloud!" Roxas screamed "Sora's broken!"

"No I'm not!" Sora screamed back as Roxas walked out of the closet snickering.

He was wearing the same uniform as Sora, a long sleeved white button down with their choice of matching colored slacks and tied. Roxas wore a pair of black slacks and tie while Sora wore blue. Namine wore a blue and white plaid skirt and tie with a white sleeveless button down.

Roxas slid a checkered wristband as Leon walked up behind Sora.

"Roxas, Namine, stop trying to break Sora." He scolded smirking

"Yes sir!" They sang together. Roxas grabbed his bag and slung it on. It was a One strap that was black and white, Sora's bag was identical except for the fact that it was blue and black.

"Cloud and I are taking off now. The council still wants to discuss what to do about Roxas and the shop has lots of orders for that hand-carved dining table so neither of us will be home till late."

Leon was a carpenter that focused on hand carved pieced which was always a lot of work, but he was real good at his job so the pieces he made sold well. As for Cloud, he was a supervisor for the town, along with three others. Supervisors taught kids how to control their magic and how to stay hidden from the public. The council was concerned because Roxas had a bad run in with a group that stole people's magic.

Speaking of which, Roxas could feel Hayner, Pence, Olette coming. They were magic users like the LeonHeart family.

"Kay, Leon. Tell my brother to buy me a coke."

"I want a root beer!" Sora shout pointing his finger in the air in some sort of silly pose.

"Can I have a grape soda?"

Leon snickered once more. "Kay, I'll tell Cloud." Leon walked out with Namine close behind. Her school was on the way to his workshop, or the shop as they called it.

Roxas snatched his I-pod and headphones off the desk as Sora walked out of the room.

Roxas had made peace with having to listen to his family and friend's thoughts. But Listening to all the melodramatic, clichéd, and perverted thoughts of all the students at their huge was way too aggravating and sickening for Roxas to handle. So Cloud had bought him the best pair of headphones for his birthday a few years back. They were the chunky, expensive kind that was designed to block out other sounds.

Sora had also made peace with Roxas blocking everything else out, since Hayner Pence and Olette were also drawn to magic they had made peace with Roxas and his eccentrics, they learn that if you needed to talk to they boy, grab his hand or something when he wasn't wearing gloves.

The two boys walked down the had to the stairs. Roxas' room was at the end of the hall to the right, across from the bathroom that the boys had to share with Namine. Sora's room was next to Roxas', then Namine's, then Cloud and Leon's at the complete opposite end of the hall next to the stairs. There was a balcony opposite the wall with the rooms. The balcony gave a great view of the downstairs living room and the front door.

Roxas turned his music on and up when they reached the bottom of the stairs. The music helped sufficiently to drown out other peoples thoughts, but when they touched him, like hand to hand, then all of that persons thoughts, feelings, memories dreams, everything about that person at that moment would flood into his mind like an overflowed river rushing out when the dam broke. That's why he was now slipping on a pair of black gloves. You can never be too careful.

As they reached they door Sora began beaming and blabbing on about how much fun they were going to have and something about new students. Sora was so peppy it was hard not to tell he was drawn to Glamour.

When Sora opened the door he was greeted with Hayner about to break the door down.

"Finally! I thought you two would never come out!"

"Nice to see you too." Roxas said picking up his skateboard next to the door. Sora followed suit and closed the door behind him when they walked out.

"You'll never guess what happened!" Olette squealed when they reached the sidewalk.

"Then I won't" Roxas said simply. He threw his board into the street and jumped onto it while it was still rolling.

"Hey, Roxas!" Hayner shouted after him annoyed.

"Last one to school has to treat for ice cream after school!" Roxas bellowed. It was on now.

Roxas boarded through the street, swiftly maneuvering between cars and trucks. Hayner and Sora were boarding on the sidewalk trying to find a good place to jump into the backed up street. Olette and Pence were way behind the three on their scooters. They never had to participate in the races because they found it too hard to keep up without boards or bikes.

Roxas had the school in sight when a white SUV suddenly pulled out of the packed parking lot and started driving towards him. The blond vaguely heard his name being called as the car came closer. Here was a screeching of tires when the driver tried to stop. It was around then that Roxas realized that if he held back his hated instincts he would die. So he gave in and let them kick in.

Roxas forced his hands onto the street speeding below him, scraping them up nastily when they hit it, and screamed with all his and magic: "Vola!"*

The blond went rocketing through the air, over the vehicle, and ungracefully into the street once more. He rolled along the ground tearing holes in his shirt and pants and scraping up every inch of skin that met the ground. There must have been rocks in the street, he could feel cut forming on his back.

He came to a stop at the curb right in front of the school gates. It was a miracle that he didn't get hit by any cars.

"owww…" The blond moaned. Every fiber of his being screamed in pain. Not only that but he used magic in front of mortals, he was so dead. And the worst part of it all was what he almost did. The driver was so very lucky that Roxas held back.

He was brought by he ever so lovely thoughts by the sound of pounding footsteps, screeching tires, and his name being shouted. He cracked his eyes open and tried to prop himself on his elbows, but failed miserably at the latter. He hissed in pain when someone jolted him up onto what felt like a knee.

It was Sora, and worry was written all across his face. "Roxas! My god, are you okay?"

Roxas cracked a grin. "Never better. I think I'll go bungee jumping off the clock tower."

"Roxas, stop being such a smartass! You could've died!" Sora cried, a little too loudly for Roxas' liking. Sora had tears at the corners of his eyes, but he was laughing now. "Your smartassness shows that you're okay though."

"Yeah, Where's the guy I dodged?" Roxas asked, glancing around.

Hayner growled as he entered Roxas' line of vision. "The asshole drove off while we ran over." He punched his fist into his hand. "I swear I'll kill him if he ever comes back, no one ever does that my buddy."

Roxas smirked in a pained way. "Don't kill him, I wanna hit him alive." This got a laugh out of the others.

"You used magic didn't you?" Pence whispered bending over Roxas and Sora.

"Was it that obvious?" Roxas asked glancing at the small crowd by the school gates.

"Well, no since you're such a good athlete, but since you aren't normally that showy, it was to us." Olette said. Sora helped elevate Roxas to his feet. "I'll help my brother get to the nurse, you guys get to class."

"All right, See ya!" Hayner waved.

"Bye, Feel better Roxas." Pence and Olette chimed before running after Hayner. Roxas lamely limped through the school with his arm over Sora's shoulders. Damn, he ached all over, if he ever found that driver, he was gonna do worse than just hitting him, and no to all you perv-thinkers out there, he wasn't gonna rape him, or her now that I think of it.

Anyway, they reached the Nurse's office. Sora opened the for Roxas as the blond limped in. There were two waiting chairs against the wall and there were two stools next to the counter and cabinets. There was a doorway at the back wall that led to another room with beds. Sora walked over to the counter and rang the bell while Roxas eased himself onto one of the stools.

Nurse Aerith came through the door wearing a pink doctor's coat and a lovely smile, until she spotted the battered blond on the stool.

"Oh, Roxas, you poor thing!" She exclaimed walking up to the stool. "What happened?"

"I tripped" Roxas said automatically. Sora snorted and hid the smirk on his face. The blond frowned when Aerith eyed him suspiciously. "Sorry, forced of habit. I, um, well, I dodged out of the way of some idiot in an SUV." Aerith tsked as she went to a cabinet and pulled out a green jar that had a G with a star behind it. "Uh," Roxas stuttered out.

Aerith gave him a questioning look.

"He dodged it thataway." Sora supplied pointing up for emphasis." Lots of witnesses too."

"I see." She returned to the jar to the cabinet, Roxas didn't like the new tension that had settled over the room. Aerith pulled out a box of bandages and linen wraps and disinfectant spray.

"You went out of parole."

"It wasn't' my fault." The blond grumbled. "The council's too uptight anyway."

The Grand Council of the Magical world puts restrictions on any student that does not own their Ingenii Indicium**. And Roxas, as a minor, is not supposed to used magic without a teacher watching since he torched some linens at the Laundromat. This incident might get him sent to the JM school(Juvenile Magic)

"Are you going to report me?" Roxas whispered. He hissed when Aerith started to spray his scrapes and sponge them with a cloth.

"Don't bite your tongue. I'll have to Roxas. As a supervisor and a teacher I can't turn the blind eye to this incident."

Sora sighed dejectedly at that while Roxas studied his shoes.

"Turn around. Don't worry too much, if were avoiding getting hit by a car they might let it slide. Oh darn, take your shirt off. I can't see this one but it looks bigger than the hole in your shirt."

Roxas did as instructed and unbuttoned his shirt. Aerith slid the stained and ripped shirt and placed it on the counter.

Sore hissed in sympathy in the background. "Ohhhh damn Roxas."

"Language Sora."

"Is it that bad?" Roxas asked twisting around trying to see his back.

"Hold still Roxas. And it is pretty bad."

"Dude, Roxas, it's a bloody mess! How can you not feel that?"

"Well-Ah! Oh! Now I do. Ah-That stings woman!"

"Good. That means the antibiotics are working. Sora, be a dear and fetch the linen wraps and Nurse tape."

"Yes ma'm ." There was some shuffling in the backround as Sora did as he was told.

"So how is your brother doing? I keep missing him when I report to the council.

Aerith and Cloud have been friends since their days of supervisor training.

"Cloud's good. He has a council meeting today."

"Found them!" Sora announced handing the tape and wraps to Aerith.

"Thank you Sora. Roxas lift up your arms" Roxas obeyed as Aerith began to wrap his back.

"Hey, Sora. Can you go grab my P.E. clothes. I can't walk around in these." He said gesturing to his pants.

"Sure." Sora walked out of the room as Aerith finished wrapping the bandages.

"There. You should be all better in a week."

"All right"

"And don't hang out in the road anymore."

"Don't count on it." Roxas muttered as Sora returned.

"Here" he said handing Roxas the bag. Aerith started scribbling on a piece of paper on the counter.

"This is a late pass for your first hour, since you just missed homeroom." she said handing the paper to the fully clothed Sora. "And this," she said scribbling some more. "Is an excuse to whatever teacher asks why you're out of the uniform."

"Kay" Roxas said, now in his long black pants and red T-shirt.

"Thanks Aerith" The twins said in unison.

Once they were out in the hall, Roxas veered off into the bathroom, much to the confusion of Sora.

The brunette followed his twin and was surprised at what he saw. Roxas had slid to floor against the wall and hugged his knees to his chest.

"Roxas?" Roxas asked. He hurried over to his younger brother. "What's wrong?"

"I could've killed him." The blond whispered so quietly that Sora almost didn't hear it.

"What?"

"The guy in the SUV. I was going to kill him Sora." Roxas choked out. "When I was going to get hit, those accursed instincts that those bastards pounded into me took over." The blond shuddered before continuing. "I had to stop myself from landing properly, otherwise I would have attacked the car from behind."

The blond choked back some broken sobs. "It's horrible. Feeling the adrenaline mixed with murderous intent pump through me. Knowing that I'm prepared to kill someone."

Sora wrapped his arms around the shaking form of the younger boy. "Don't worry Roxy." Sora whispered soothingly. He ran a hand through spiked blond hair. "You're safe and we're never going to let them take you. And if by some freak accident they _do_ take you, we'll always come to save you."

The bathroom was quiet except for Roxas' sniffing. Sora couldn't help but feel a little evil when he finally broke the silence.

"We have to go to class, Rox, unless you want to explain to Cloud and Leon why we skipped."

"No." Roxas sniffed as he lifted his head out of his knees. The blond stood and scrubbed his tears away with the back of his hand. Sora stood up and watched Roxas use the to splash his face with cold water. Roxas gasped as he finished. "I can't let it get to me. Besides we have that quiz today."

Sora's face melted. "That was today?!"

Roxas turned to look at his panicked twin, Sora looked like he was having a heart attack.

"I thought the History quiz was next Monday!"

"No, it's today, you didn't study did you? Spent all your time playing video games?"

"Hey, Jak is a fun and addicting game!"

"Right." Roxas snickered. Sora huffed at his twin, but his face quickly dissolved into a smile. Roxas was feeling better, and that made Sora happy.

"C'mon champ." Sora said. He reached for Roxas' arm, but paused in mid stance. "May I?"

Roxas gave a small smile. "Sora, you're the only one that doesn't have to ask."

"I know, but now that you're more, um, exposed, I'm worried."

"Forget about it."

"Right." Sora nabbed Roxas' arm. "During lunch you're going drill me until my head explodes!"

"And how do you expect to take the quiz with no head?"

"If my head explodes I'll be excused. Can't take a quiz without a head." Sora replied. He made it sound like he should be one to know.

They made their way to the classroom, and when they got there Roxas wanted nothing more than to quietly hand the teacher his late pass and quietly take his seat in the back corner away from the windows, which proved to be futile for two reasons.

Reason number one was Sora. The second, possibly even the millisecond they stepped into the room Sora announced their arrival by shouting "Sorry we're late Ms. Belle! Roxas needed patching up but he's okay!" Stupid cheery Sora. Roxas made a mental note to hide Sora's candy for a week or so.

Reason number two was his seat had been taken. There was an odd looking new student in his seat. The boy had an odd hairstyle that was a mix between a mullet and a Mohawk, aqua eyes, and wore baby blue for the uniform.

The teacher caught Roxas staring at the new kid and said "Demyx, why don't you stand and reintroduce yourself to the LeonHeart boys."

The mullet/Mohawk head rose and waved at the twins with a smile. "Hi! I'm Demyx Myder. I'm seventeen years old, I like blue, water, my sitar and my two other friends that transferred to this school with me!"

Ms. Belle nodded approvingly at the quick summary Demyx made. She turned back to Roxas and Sora.

"If you want to ask a question now, you may each ask one."

"Oh!" Sora chirped, his arm shooting into the air "I have one! You said there are two others, what grade are they in?"

Demyx smiled brighter. "They're both juniors."

"Question." Roxas said putting his hand to shoulder height to please the teacher. "Why is a seventeen year old taking sophomore algebra?"

Demyx didn't seem at all embarrassed by the question. "Oh, I get asked that a lot! I went to a school that taught geometry two years in a row for some reason, so I didn't get Algbra II my sophomore year."

"I see." Demyx was just as bright and cheery as Sora was. At the risk of having two sugar balls, Roxas moved to the desk in the opposite corner of the room, next to the windows, and behind Pence, who thankfully didn't talk as much as the blond's twin. Sora sat next to Demyx, as Roxas had predicted.

Roxas zoned out to the lesson as he stared out the window, reason why he didn't normally sit by it. It was starting to get cloudy. Maybe it would rain and there would be now outdoor P.E.

As soon as the bell rang Roxas had risen at Sora's desk, waiting for the grumbling brunette to pack up.

"Stupid quadratics."

Demyx seemed just as down as Sora. "I'm going to faiiiiiiiiilllll."

As soon as Sora finished packing he glomped his twin. "Roxxxxxxxyyyyy! You must teach me the impossible thing the world calls math!"

Then Demyx glomped the poor blond on his other side. "Teach me too! Teach me too! You are the master and I am your lowly pupil!"

Demyx's thoughts rushed into Roxas so suddenly that he started to feel light headed. He wobbled a bit. Sora noticed this.

"Ah!" Sora jumped back, Demyx followed suite, slightly confused. "Sorry Roxas, didn't think the two of us were enough to squeeze the air out of you." Sora covered quickly."

"Itsokay" Roxas mumbled as they walked out into the hall. Roxas could feel the worry radiating off of Demyx and Sora, and Demyx's happy thoughts were lingering in his head. Dammit he wished his headphones were still in one piece right now.

* * *

And I'll end it here.

*I'm pretty it's Latin for fly

**Latin for proof of knowledge


	2. Chapter 2

Hiya peeps! I feel horrible today but I'm still doin' m' job! I got a request to explain who is drawn to what magic, so I typed it in. Keep an eye out!

* * *

The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful, except that it started to rain, more like pour actually.

Lunch came around. Sora had explained to the others that he needed study help so they wouldn't worry.

When they reached the library it was deserted except for a teen sitting behind the reception desk. It was a boy with blue-grey hair that hung over the right eye out of a pair of grey.

He looked up from his book when the twins came in and said "If you plan to hide from a teacher in here then you can just leave right now."

"No, Sora forgot to study for the test next hour."

The boy nodded and pointed to the tables by the windows. "Then you may study and eat your lunches over there."

"Thanks Z!" Sora chirped. He pratically bounced over to the desks. Roxas held back for a minute.

"Yes Roxas?"

"….Zexion, what do you know about the new students?"

"The new students? Not much. I saw all three in here for Classical Literature. They're interesting to look at to say the least."

Roxas thought back to Demyx and his part mullet part mohawk hairstyle. "Yeah, the brown-haired one's with Sra and me in math; The kid's a freaking second Sora!" The blond groaned at the thought: Two happy, bubbly, easily hyped up teens that aren't on a leash.

Zexion chuckled. "Well if it makes you happy to hear, they have nothing to do with the Organization. I'm not even sure if they can use magic."

Roxas sighed with relief. One less thing for him to worry about.

"Thanks Z." Roxas said. He walked over to Sora, who had already started eating the lunch.

"Quiz me! Quiz me! Quiz me!" Sora exclaimed the minute Roxas sat down.

"Pssh. Fine. Don't let me eat. Let me starve to death. But when I become a vengeful spirit, I plan on haunting you to death first." Roxas joked pointing at Sora. He pulled a notebook out of his bag.

"But." Sora gasped in mock disbelief. "But you love me!"

"You know what they say. People haunt the people they love. Anyway, you can just join me in haunting people."

"Oooo! Yeah! Let's do Hayner!"

"No, let's study."

"Okay!"

The next twenty minutes was devoted to Roxas quizzing Sora on history questions that he got wrong half of the time.

"Who was the founder of the capital of Demus?" Roxas asked before taking a swig of his water.

"Oh! Ummmmm…….Dang! I know this!"

"James Wise." A smooth voice called from the entrance.

Sora and Roxas turned torwads the voice. There were three students standing in the doorway. One had silver hair and turquoise eyes that matched his uniform. The second was the tallest ad had flaming red hair that was spiked out in the back and jade green eyes with upside down teardrop tatoes under his eyes that were as black as his uniform. The third was Demyx.

"The answer is James Wise." The red-haired one repeated smugly.

Roxas frowned. "Great, but Sora was supposed to answer."

"It's James Wise!" Sora exclaimed grinning wildly.

"Congratulations Professor Brilliant. Since you're obviously going to pass, I'll stop."

"No! I'm sorry! Don't leeeeeeaaaaaavve me!" Sora cried stretching across the table to glomp his brother's arm.

The red head snorted. "Clingy aren't ya?"

Before another word was said Demyx glomped Roxas' other side once more.

"You are so huggable! Like a little teddy bear!"

HugOMGthiskidissoflippinscute!IhopeAxeldoesn'tmolesthimorsomething!Thatguybehindthedeskisoohot!Iwonderifhelikesguys?

"Ever been bitten by a teddy bear fella?" Roxas growled. It took a lot of effort to not to collapse from the overload of thoughts. Sora and Demyx leaped back at the same time. Roxas sighed when most of the older teen's backed off.

"Thank you."

The silver haired one shook his head with a smile. "You must be Sora and Roxas. Demyx wouldn't stop talking about you two."

"Yep! That's us!" Sora LeonHeart. I'm sixteen, I like fish and fruit and my brother! And this grumpy Teddy bear-"

"That is going to feed Sora's fish to my kitten if he calls me that again"

"-is my twin Roxas."

The silver head and red head snickered as Demyx gaped. "You own fishy? And a kitty? We are so going to your place after school. Right Zexy?" Demyx shouted the last part, earning a snort from Roxas.

"Zexy? You mean Zexion?"

"Yes he means me."

"Ack!" The three newbies cried. The silent librarian always had a knack for appearing behind people when they least expect it.

"Don't do that Zexy," The red head panted. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"You need a heart for that."

"You guys know each other?" Sora asked looking back and forth between the two.

"Zexy here's our land lord." Demyx supplied. He slug his arm over the blue-haired boy's shoulders.

"Don't call me Zexy." The boy reprimanded pushing the arm off. "I believe you two have yet to introduce yourselves."

"The man's right! Where are our manners? My name is Axel Ignitrus, and my platinum haired friend here is Riku Das Omas."

Roxas made a face. "If I didn't know better I'd say you made your last names up."

Axel grew a large grin. "We did."

Roxas nearly fell out of his chair as Sora started laughing his ass off.

"Seriously?!"

"Yep! Drat look at the time." Axel ending while glancing at hi watch. "Class starts in five. see ya kiddies!"

Axel left with Riku and Demyx close behind. As soon as they were gone Roxas turned to his superior. "I thought you said you didn't know much about them."

"I don't."

"And yet they live in the condomonium with you and Luxord."

"Luxord interviewed them and told me their names; he didn't say what they looked like."

Roxas sighed. "Whatever. C'mon Sora."

As the twins walked throught the halls Sora started to glance at his brother expectantly.

"No, Sora. I won't bring home strangers while Leon and Cloud are away."

"But Rox~as. They don't seem at all bad."

"That's what I said when we brought that other new kid home at our last house, and now look at us."

Sora recalled the memory well. There was a cute new boy that was extremely eager to make friends with Roxas for some odd reason. When the twins brought him home to meet the gaurdians he attacked, turned out he was a puppet made by the Organization to get to Roxas. The house was destroyed and the family had to move to avoid suspicion from the mortals.

"You're right."

"Yeah, and besides that, I have studies with Lulu. Don't you and Namine have to go see Aerith?"

"Agh, I forgot."

"What _**don't**_ you forget?"

"Shut up." Sora joked lightly giving his twin a small hit.

* * *

The school day ended rather quickly after that. The rain had stopped, but it was still extremely cloudy so it was expected to rain again. Roxas had aced the history quiz and Sora had somehow managed to squeak by. Axel, Riku and Demyx weren't in any of the twins other classes, much to the disappointment of the young brunette.

"No, I don't sense Riku, Axel, or Demyx at the front gate Sora." Roxas answered his brother's thoughts annoyed. Ever since their last class Sora had been fidgeting and glancing around for the new students. Roxas had to keep answering his brother's same question for the past fifteen minutes.

"Drat."

"Why are you so eager to find them? I thought I made it clear that we can't have them over." Roxas asked as they walked through the front gates.

"I want to give them our number. I might not be allowed to have them over, but that doesn't mean we're not allowed to call them!"

"How cute!" Some one called out smugly from behind them. Sarcasm dripped from the voice like it had just been dumped in a bucket. "The weenie wants to give out his number!"

Roxas growled in irritation. Why did he have to be here _**now**_ of all times? "Lay off Seifer!" Roxas shouted. He turned to face the older boy. Seifer, Rai, and Fuu were standing next to the gate, none of them were in uniform. They must have skipped.

The older boy snorted. "Why? I'm just doing him a favor. Who would want to go out with _**that**_?"

Roxas bristled. Seifer was really looking for a fight with Roxas today. Everyone knows how protective Roxas is of Sora, even if the brunette was older. Sora was also getting angry.

"'That'?! What so I don't have a name now? Or are you just too stupid to remember?!"

Seifer ignored the other boy. His goal today was Roxas, like any other day. "C'mon chicken wuss, you know what I want." Oh he knew. Since day one of meeting Seifer, he's been pestered by the older boy to join his group. Roxas has obviously been refusing. These days Seifer's resorted to striking blows at the younger blond's family.

"Get lost, asshole." Roxas hissed dangerously.

"Make me." Roxas took a step forward.

"Enough!" The group turned. The P.E. coach, Cid, was standing at the front gates. "You kids have better things to do than bicker at the front gates. Now get, else I'll wave my magic wand and turn ya' ina' pixies!" To the mortals it would sound like Cid was joking. But to the group of magic users at the front entrance, including Seifer's group, he was dead serious.

"Hmpf. Let's blow" Seifer turned and stalked off. Rai followed but Fuu walked in the opposite direction, past the twins. She stopped and turned when no one followed her.

"Coming?" She said, gracing the crowd with one of her amazing speeches. The question was directed to Roxas. As much as Roxas hated Seifer and company and as much as Seifer hated Sora and wanted Roxas in his group, there was one thing that none of them ever dared to skip on purpose, and that was magic training. Fuu was waiting for Roxas because she too was a Necromancer, the only other student with Roxas.

Hayner, Pence and Olette chose that moment to come running. The trio had seen Seifer talking to Roxas from one of the classrooms and sped over asap. Roxas waited until they were close enough before he turned on heel and followed Fuu.

He knew his brother was safe to go to Glamour now. Hayner wasn't drawn to Glamour, but Olette and Pence were. Roxas knew that Seifer, who oddly enough was also drawn to Glamour, wouldn't touch Sora with witnesses around that weren't Roxas. Hayner was drawn to Alchemy and only had to deal with the bonebrained Rai with the grumpy old P.E. coach. Cid was the Alchemy teacher.

Sora was quiet as he walked with his friends to pick up Namine and her friend Kairi so they could go to Aerith's Glamour class together. The were off to have their class in the city church, which was slightly ironic. A building that is used by a community that condemns black magic is used to teach magic. The Alchemy classes were held in the basement of a bar owned by Cloud's friend Zak. The Sorecery classes were held in the Theatre. Necromancy was held in the city cemetery. The city cemetery was a mile outside of town in the opposite direction of the church, which always ended up depressing the twins on days they really didn't want to be separated.

Fuu and Roxas always did everything in silence. They walked in silence, waited at the bus stop in silence, boarded and left their bus to the outskirts of town in silence. How fun. Oh if only Roxas still had a working ipod.

The buses would only take them to the edge of town, then the two would have to walk the rest of the way. It took about a half hour walk before the walls came into view. The entire cemetery was surrounded by large red brick walls that had only on entrance, an iron bar gate coated in ivy. The was were also heavily coated in ivy, there were some places that were hard to tell if it was a wall or a hedge.

Roxas went up to the wall and hefted his bag over. He then grabbed some ivy and used it as rope to climb to the top. Once there he reached a hand to Fuu, who took it and let him pull her up and lower on the other side. She may be part of Seifer's group, but SHE never actually did anything to the twins, and Roxas had always been taught to be kind to girls.

Once Fuu had touched ground safely, she picked Roxas' bag up and wiped the mud off before handing it to the blond once he was off the wall. The blond silently nodded his thanks, and they continued on.

This graveyard had actually been abandoned mostly. These days people want to be cremated or shove in fancy tombs in mountains or whatever else their imagination can come up with. The gravestones were covered with ivy and mold. All the grass there, if any, was dead. The five trees there had grown over sized. They were about big enough to fit two or three tree house in them in various places.

Fuu and Roxas headed to the tree in the furthermost corner from the front gate. The tree was a little odd. It had grown into the back way. Pushed a section of the wall out of it's way and grew. What the duo were really heading towards was the little house built next to the tree. An old, shabby shack built for the gravekeeper that died about a decade ago. That's where all their classes were.

Fuu and Roxas walked into the building without bothering to knock. There was no need. They were just about the only two people that ever came there.

The entire building tiny on the outside. The inside was quite spacious the was a large, well equipped kitchen and dining table with a couch facing the front door. Next to the counters, opposite the front door was another door, that was an anywhere door; it could lead to any other room in the house. Roxas opened the door. Inside was a humongous library. Every part of the wall, apart from the door, was shelved with books. The books were on all topics, the past, medicine, behavior, magic. There were some couches that formed a circle to one side of the room, the other had a worktable covered in various books and papers. Their instructor sat at the table.

Lulu. The only person that the council could find that was qualified to teach, and willing to come to this city. In order to be qualified to teach, the person must be drawn to the magic they want to teach. Necromancers have a thing for seclusion. That's why she lives here in the cemetery (look her up to see what she's wearing). Roxas only knew three people, other than himself, that were drawn to Necromancy, Lulu, Fuu and Zexion. Not many other people ever learned Necromancy anyway. It was a hard magic to learn in general and it was still looked down upon. Every magic child is required to learn the magic they're drawn to before any teacher would teach them another magic, however some people would learn two magics at once.

Lulu looked up briefly from her paperwork before immersing herself again. "Take a seat. I'll explain in a minute."

Fuu and Roxas glanced at each other. Normally they would come in and read, study, or finish up homework for about forty minutes, or even the the entire two hour lesson. Lulu would come in later to lecture them or they would go outside and practice magic and summoning. If she was telling them to do someting right off the bat something must be up.

Roxas shrugged and took a seat across from his instructor. Fuu slid in the chair beside him.

Lulu shifted through the paperwork until she took out what appeared to be permission slips and handed them to the two.

Roxas glanced at his and felt his eyebrows raise. "The Citywide Oblivion Tournament?"

Lulu nodded. "The tournament for friendly battles between students to test their skills as a mage and a field so the council can see what will be our future will grow into one day. You just need a signature from your instructor, which you already have from me, and one from a guardian. As the sorcery instructor I'm sure Cloud will be more than willing to sign."

Definitely. If Cloud wasn't around he could always get his Alchemy drawn brother-in-law to sign. And this would make a great way to get back at Seifer.

"The rules permit you to use whatever magic you know, as long as the damage won't be fatal. The tournament is this Saturday at the Theatre. Bring me this form tomorrow so you can enter. I'm a little busy with paperwork now, so you may leave. But the rest of the week will be dedicated to dueling with magic. Understand?"

Both nodded.

"Good. You may go." Fuu stood to leave, but Roxas hesitated. He had a questions bugging him. "Yes Roxas?"

"Um...Are there any new students in the city."

"I thought one of you would ask. Yes as a matter of fact we have three new transfers. And they are registered at your school."

Roxas stood and bowed. "Thank you."

That answered his question. Riku, Axel and Demyx **_were_** mages in training like the rest of them.

* * *

By the time Roxas returned home it was Five thirty-six and pouring once more outside. Sora and Namine wouldn't get out of Glamour until Six. Leaving Roxas with the house to himself for another twenty something minutes. Oh dear, whatever shall he do? After all, he finished all his homework.

The blond finished drying off and entered the kitchen. Five minutes later he was out with a bowl of buttered and salted popcorn. He bounced onto the couch and flipped through the channels until he decided with Mel Gibson's Young Frankenstein that had just started.

"It isn't. It's Fredrick Frankenstein."

"Oh, I see."

"You must be Igor."

"No it's pronounced Eye-gor"

"But they told me it was Igor."

"Well they were wrong then weren't they?"

Roxas felt his eyes droop slightly and before he knew it, he was fast asleep on the couch.

* * *

_Two young, no more than five, boys sat crying in each others arms. One had blond hair and the other had brown. They looked remarkably alike. They stood in the middle of whit in the dram as Roxas stood off to the side gazing at them._

_**Is that...me? And Sora?**_

_The scenery shifted until the two boys were sitting on a bed in the middle of a room that was obviously designed for children. There was circus wallpaper, two racecar beds and toys strewn about. There were no windows, and one door that was bright red. _

_**When-?**_

_Suddenly a voice rang out. "Roxas sweetie? Where are you? Mommy needs you." The voice that sounded so sweet and caring stabbed unimaginable fear and pain into Roxas' heart. The two children on the bed continued to cry and held each other tighter as the door started to turn black, as if someone was dripping black paint throught the top crack. Downward the color spread as the voice continued. "Come out sweetie. Mommy has a friend her to play with you. We'll have some cookies and milk."_

_Another voice joind the woman's. "Son? Listen to your mother and come out. You don't want to keep her waiting do you. And she baked such yummy treats for you out here."_

_The voices that would sound soothing to any other persons ears had evoked tears from the blond watching the door turn black._

_**Mother** Roxas sobbed out. He placed a hand over his mouth.** Father** _

_The turn was finished and slowly creaked open. "There you are. Come out now." The blond on the bed shook his head and clutched his brother tighter._

_"Roxas. Do what your mother says. Come out." The blond only shook his head harder._

_"I said COME OUT!"_

_It was as if a giant vacuum cleaner had been switched on The doorway started sucking things through. Toys on the floor, sheets off the bed. The two children were heavier than those objectes but they were hanging on to the bed now, trying their very best bot to get sucked in. Which was more than can be said for big Roxas, who had nothing to hold him down._

_ He dug his heels into the floor trying desperately not to let the strange force drag him to the door. There was a figure standing in the doorway. one Roxas knew very well. One Roxas would never forget. It was just a dark outline, but it had the most brilliant orange eyes that glowed. _

_**No! No! Stop! Please!**_

_The figure reached out its dark hand to Roxas, who was only about four feet away._

"NO!"

"Roxas! Roxas! Wake up!" The blond's eyes snapped open. Sora was bending over his sweat-dranched twin. Concern was washing over Roxas from him as well as his own relief. Just a dream. A nightmare. "Are you okay? You were sweating like mad and twitching like mad."

Roxas took a moment to catch his breath. "Yeah. Just...A really bad dream." Sora was about to press more but Roxas held up a hand. "First, can I get a glass of water?"

"Stay. I'll get it for you." Couldn't argue with that. Roxas laid back on the couch with a sigh and closed his eyes. He could feel the concern in the room start to dissolve. Namine's, Cloud's, Demyx's, and--wait! Demyx? Here?

Roxas' eyes snapped open and sure enough, standing off by the hall to the front door were Demyx, Axel, and Riku.

Axel gave a small wave with his smirk. "Mornin' Blondie!"

What did he do to deserve this?

* * *

I'm ending it here. Jeez! It's like Twelve-thirty! Later! Oh well. I'm gonna go play my new game. I'll update in a few days or so.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Hi! I'm really sleepy so I won't completely scan this chapter for errors. Don't crticize me too much.

DISCLAIMER: I OWN SQUAT OF THIS!!!! Though I wish I did

* * *

Axel. Demyx Riku. The three new that Roxas knew **nothing** about were standing in his house watching him _**sleep**_.

(Insert various extremely dirty words running through the confused blond's mind)

Despite the dirty language running through the his mind, Roxas had managed to keep his cool on the outside, which in his case was a sweat-soak young boy that had been squirming and crying in his sleep because of, presumably a nightmare.

Roxas didn't consider it a nightmare. No, when he dreamed of something that horribly realistic he classified it as a night terror, or possibly even a warning.

"Roxas?" He was brought from his thoughts by his brother's voice. Cloud was still standing over him with worry. "You gonna be okay?"

Roxas nodded. "I'll be fine. But what are they doing here?" The younger blond asked pointing to the trio in the hall.

Axel frowned. "What? We aren't allowed? Or just when you're napping on the couch?"

Roxas copied Axel's expression. "I just woke up with three new students in my house with no prior warning, I think I deserve an explanation."

Sora returned with a glass of ice water as Cloud started talking again. "Seeing as how two out of the three of them are going to be my newest students, I've been assigned their parole guardians. They needed to do some paperwork on their backgrounds and a few other things."

Roxas understood everything but one word. "Parole?"

"Axel's a pyromaniac." Demyx stated slapping the red head's back so hard he cough.

"Demy's a hydromaniac." Axel retorted with an equally painful smack to the back.

They were glaring daggers when Riku took hold of an ear from in from his position in the middle and twisted downward forcing them to bend. "And I'm the voice of reason."

"I…see" Roxas replied. He took a sip of water to wet his mouth and clear his head. Did this happen often between them?

"Oh, and they'll be staying the night."

The hell-?! Roxas sputtered and cough on his water. Cloud gave him a smack on the back to help. Sora's worry had risen and Riku let go of the other two.

Roxas gasped a few times before he spoke again. "They'll be _what?_"

Cloud's frown deepened. "Staying the night."

Roxas was off the couch and dragging his older brother with him to the kitchen. "Can we talk?"

The group left behind was left speechless before Demyx spoke up. "Did we do something wrong?"

"Of course not." Sora defended.

"Then what's blondie's problem?" Axel asked crossing his arms.

"Uh…..well…." Sora scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"We're waiting." Riku reminded him cooly.

"Mmmmmngh! Look, Roxas will go beserk if I'm the one to tell without permission. Bottom line is that we've, no, _**he's **_been through a lot. And now he's really, really, _**really **_uncomfortable with opening up to new people."

Riku nodded his head and Demyx made a tiny 'o' with his mouth. All Axel did was go "hm" and stare off in the direction Roxas went.

Once they were in the kitchen Roxas spun on his elder and whispered harshly "What do you _**mean**_ they're staying the night?!"

"It means exactly what it sounds like." Cloud whispered with an equal harshness back.

"Why?!"

"They'll never get all the paperwork done in one night."

"So have them take it home!"

"That's the other thing. The condomonium's being remodeled. Zexion and Luxord are staying in a hotel with all expenses paid by insurance." That rang a bell. Roxas remembered how much Zexion was complaining about two weeks ago about a truck plowing into the building. Some idiot thought that drinking alcohol would keep him awake to drive. In the end, he and Luxord decided to just remodeled the entire building.

"Since they don't have the money to stay anywhere for that long, we're putting them up here."

"We're what?! For how long?!" Why didn't any one ever tell him anything. It was taking a whole lot of Roxas' willpower to keep his voice at a whisper.

"It's just 'till the end of the week. Sora told me that Zexion said they weren't in the Organization."

" Neither was Daniel, or Cory, or Westley, or Paula, or fawn, or Gerome!" All names of people the Organization had used to try to get to Roxas over the past five years. "Am I missing any one?!"

"Katherine."

Roxas threw his hands up in the are. "Thank you! Thank you very much. And despite this long list of names of people we thought we could trust you're letting **more** strangers into the house!"

"Roxas would you calm down! It's only four days! I think you can live with them that long. If they try any thing funny I'll toss them out on the street asap, alright?" Roxas turned around stubbornly. He was sulking because he knew he had lost. Cloud sighed and kneeled so that his eyes would be level with his youngest brother. "Roxas. Look at me."

Roxas hesitated, not really wanting to after that small fight they just had, but obeyed.

Blue met blue

"Nothing is going to happen, okay?" Cloud gave a small, sad smile and ran his had through his brother's hair slowly. "I know that it you've been through so much, and I know that I really am asking a lot of you right now, but please, just put up with it for a while."

Roxas dropped his gaze to the ground and thought it over, and over, and over, until "Just four days?" He asked, head still turned to the floor, but eyes meeting the older blond's.

Cloud gave that smile again. "Just four days."

Roxas looked at the floor again and thought some more. After another minute he gave a defeated sigh. "Alright."

Cloud stood and ruffled the smaller boy's hair. "Thanks"

Roxas ducked out of the older boy's reach a glared. "For the record. I am **not** happy about this, and I am **not** going to bother hiding it."

Cloud nodded, that small smile on his face. "I didn't expect anything less. Just don't scream at them or anything like that."

Roxas made and indignant face. "What makes you think I'd do something like that?"

Cloud and Roxas exited the kitchen via the dining room instead of the way they came through the living room. When Cloud opened the door Demyx jumped a bit.

"I thought…." He said pointing to the living room.

"They both led to the same room." Sora replied with a grin.

Roxas ignored their laughing as Demyx went "oooh" and walked past the group up the stairs parallel to the door he and Cloud came through,

He was halfway up when Axel said. "Oi, blondie!"

Roxas turned around and glared at him from over the rail. "My _**name**_ is Roxas."

"Okay, _**Roxas**_, I take it you've heard the situation."

Roxas' glare never faltered, but he slowly nodded.

"And you're going to be so kind as to go along with it? After what Sora's told us, I think you really don't want to."

Roxas glared at his twin, who put his hands up in defence and mouthed 'I didn't say anything!'

"Well, I don't know what my brother's told you." He said shifting his glare back to Axel. "But you're right. I'm _**not**_ happy about you three staying. And I wouldn't say 'go along with,' I'd say 'tolerate,'"

Demyx stared at the floor and shuffled his feet, occasionally glancing at the blond as he spoke with Axel. Riku simply stared at him with an expressionless face, as did Axel.

"I'll say this now, so be sure to remember, I don't know any of you three right now so I therefore do not trust you, nor do I like you and I'm not going to stoop so low as to pretend just to make you happy. So as long as you stay out of my way, I'll stay out of yours and we'll be golden. Understand?"

"Uh…" Demyx looked Roxas squarely in the face. "I have to ask."

"Shoot."

"Do you think we can ever be friends?"

Friends? Roxas was a bit taken back by the question. No one's ever asked. Sure Hayner, Pence and Olette were his friends, but that started because of Seifer. Hayner and Roxas hated each other at first, but they both hated the scarred, older blond more. When they learned they had a common enemy they formed a truce and were soon thick as thieves. Olette and Pence came because Hayner came.

But….No one had ever asked him to be their friend. Sure, Xemnas' puppets had asked the same, but this sounded….different. Sincere. And his empathy detected no lies. But that didn't make sense. Who would want to be _**his **_friend? After all he was-"Roxas!"

The blond was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of Cloud's voice. "Demyx asked you a question."

Roxas turned his back on them. "Roxas!"

"……………….Maybe." Demyx smiled brightly and joy leaked out of the teen into to the room. "I'll think about it."

Riku and Cloud let smiles form on their lips as Sora patted Demyx's back with an equally bright smile.

"I also have a question." Axel said with a raised hand. "Do you always cry and squirm in your sleep?"

…Leave it to Axel to ruin the moment. Roxas felt his eyebrow twitch a bit.

STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! CREAK! SLAM!

Cloud sight and ran a hand trough his hair tiredly after Roxas' bedroom door slammed. "You just had to provoke him."

"What?" He asked. Riku, Demyx, and Sora were glaring at him. "It was a legit question."

Riku rolled his eyes and turned to Cloud. "What was that just now?"

"What?"

"Just now, Roxas looked like he was a deer caught in headlights."

"Oh" Sora said looking to Riku. "It was what Demyx said."

Demyx's face melted. "I said something wrong."

"No! No!" Sora said waving his hands. "It's not that. It's just….." Sora didn't know exactly how to continue.

"Well?" Axel pressed.

"He's never been asked that." Cloud supplied putting a hand on the now depressed Sora's shoulder. "No one's ever asked him that and meant it."

"Yeah…" Sora said sadly with a nod.

Roxas stomped over to his bed and threw himself on it, burying his face into his pillow. That red head was so damn infuriating! Well maybe not that much, but still! Who the hell asks that question like that?!

"Nyow."

Roxas turned his face to the side to see his grimalkin staring at him questioningly. A grimalkin is a type of familiar, a cat, but they can be summoned in sorcery to fight. Unlike the black ones in sorcery with red eyes, Roxas' was white with blue. And besides all the technicalities, his Grimalkin was only a little bigger than his hand.

"Hey, beach." Yes, that is a weird name for a cat, but that's what she reminded Roxas of every time he looked at her. The white sands, and the blue skies and water.

Beach leapt onto the bed and proceded to like her master's face.

"Ngh, stop. What?"

Bleach sat back on her haunches and tilted her head to the side. "Meaaaw?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." Roxas said turing his face back into his pillow.

"Nyaaah. Meaw meaw."

"f nfff fnnf nf nf f ffn nfff." (I don't care if I'm a bad liar.)

"Nyah nayow nyah nyan nayn?"

Roxas turned his whole body to his cat. "Yeah, a little. I really. Don't feel comfortable with those new students staying here."

"Nyah nyan nyan nyah."

"Don't. Cloud will think I told you to."

"Nyan nyah nyah? Meaw meow meaw meaw merow."

Roxas gave a small, sad smile. "Is that such a bad thing? Loving one's family too much."

"Meaw nyaaaah." Beach slipped under Roxas' arm, signaling he wished to be petted now. Roxas did so absent mindedly as he once again began to ponder what Demyx said to him earlier.

Friends? Why? Why him? …….Don't be ridiculous. He wouldn't possibly want to be friends with if he found out that Roxas was a Necromancer, or if he finds Roxas' connection to the Organization.

Someone was knocking on the door? Roxas slid his eyes open and took in his surroundings. The dark room, the light from the hall peaking out from underneath the door, the sleeping Grimalkin that had tangled itself in his hands.

Ah. He hand fallen asleep.

Sleep. Roxas let his eyes droop shut again. That sounded nice. He laid there listening to the rain hit the house.

But whoever was at the door knocked again. The door cracked open, letting a sliver of light through that landed on the blond's chest.

"Roxas?" It was Sora. There was worry and a little bit of guilt radiating off him into the room.

The guilt struck a pang and Roxas' heart, so he humored his twin. "Hm?"

Sora slipped into the room and quietly shut the door behind him. "Are you still angry about earlier?"

Earlier? What happened again? Oh right. The assphat.

Roxas shifted a bit and let his eyes slid open slightly to look at his brother. "Just at Axel." He mumbled.

Sora gave a small sigh that was part relief part exasperation. "What about me?"

"What about you?"

"You seemed, mad, to say the least when Axel said I told them bout you." Sora shuffled his feet a bit and studied the carpet. "I didn't tell them that much."

"Oh….right…what _**did**_ you tell?"

"Just that you're exceptionally uncomfortable with new people."

"Not why?"

"Not why."

Roxas closed his eyes again and said. "then I'm not mad at you.

It seemed like forever and Roxas nearly fell asleep again before Sora spoke again. "So...Do you wanna come downstairs to eat dinner?"

"Mmm....Not really." Roxas mumbled, nuzzling his pillow.

"But, It's your turn to cook tonight."

"Get Cloud, or Nam to cook." Known fact in the LeonHeart family, Leon and Sora can't cook to save their lives. Sure they can make sandwiches and things that don't require electronics, but when Sora somehow burned instant ramen in the microwave, he was banned from using anything with an 'on' or 'off' button in the kitchen.

"Nami stayed the night at Kairi's. And Cloud cooked dinner last night, unless you want to cook us breakfast and dinner tomorrow." Cloud and Roxas switched off with the cooking. When Cloud made breakfast, Roxas made dinner, and vice versa or it was Namine then Cloud, Sora and Leon had to switch off doing dishes. It depended on the order of awakening, whoever woke up first made breakfast.

"mmmpf...Sounds great."

"Are you sure?"

"Whatever."

"So your going back to sleep? Why don't you at least take your shoes off?"

"ngh..m' comfy."

"More like tired."

"nnnnnnnnnlemme alooooone." Roxas whined. He buried his face in his pillow when Sora started chuckling.

"Alright, I'm going. Night Rox."

"Night Sor."

The door quietly opened and closed. Roxas' mind followed his brother downstairs to where the other students were louinging on the couch. Roxas briefly wondered how all three expected to sleep in one guest room. Roxas brushed the thought as the rain hitting the lulled him back to sleep.

* * *

**The next morning**

'Stand my ground, I won't give in. No more denying, I've got to face. Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside. If I don't make it, some one else will. Stand my ground.

Stand-*click*'

Roxas groaned and sat up, alarm clock in hand. He groggily rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he glared at the poor clock that might not live much longer. He briefly considered throwing the dang thing that his sister tampered with across the room and going back to sleep. He dismissed that notion when he remembered his conversation with Sora the night before. Cooking duty.

Roxas reached out with his empathy. He was the only one awake at the moment. He peeked out of his was wet outside, but the rain had stopped.

Roxas rose silently and dressed, not wanting to wake any one up before they needed to. He wore a uniform identical to the one he wore the day before, except woth less....holes. He exited the his room and descended the stairs. He was planning on walking through the living room to the kitchen, but stopped when something stirred on the couch. Due to the darkness, Roxas reached out with his empathy and felt the jumbled thoughts of Demyx, dreaming away about what his room in the condo would look like.

Roxas, though he still wasn't comfortable with the other teens in his house, was still nice enough to not want to wake the teen, so he slipped through the dining room to the kitchen.

He flipped the light switch and began shiftin through the pans in the bottom cupboard as silently as he could. When there were more than the usual five people in the house, Roxas always felt like making sausage and pancakes.

A half hour later, the kitchen was filled with the mouthwatering aromas of the sausages and pancakes.

Roxas finished pouring the last bit of batter in the pan when he heard a yawn. Demyx had wandered into the kitchen in his blue music note pjamas with the blanket he had slept with still wrapped around him. "Mornin'" He mumbled as he took a seat on a stool at the island counter that Roxas had his back to.

"Hey." Roxas replied, keeping his eyes on his batter.

The stood in silence until Roxas flipped the cakes with and audible flop and hiss. Demyx decided to break the silence first when the small blond sat the finished food on the counter in front of him. ""Soooooooo....You like to cook?"

Roxas blinked. Wasn't expecting that question. He bent to get the plates and forks as he answered. "I guess. I cook better than Sora or Leon. Dig in." He finishes placing a set of blue and wite plates next to the plates with forks.

"Ummmmm..." Demyx didn't know what to say next. Roxas seemed to be determined to avoid conversation, but Demyx was determined to befriend the small blond, and the best way he saw to do that was to begin with casual conversations. "Soooooo...why down you keep your plates down so low? Ours are up high."

Roxas scowled with a small blush on his face and glared off in a random direction away from Demyx.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean-" Roxas interrupted by muttered something so incoherent and quickly that Demyx had to ask him to repeat it.

Roxas glanced out of the older teen out of the corner of his eye. "Nam and I can't reach."

.............."Ahahahahahahahaahhaha!" Demyx stared roaring with laughter and slapping his leg.

Roxas slamned his fist on the counter, making the dishes clatter. "What's so damn funny!?"

"Hahahahaheh, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just." he paused to catch his breath. "My mother's short, she's a midget."

Roxas gave the boy an exasperated look. "And this pertains to me how?"

"Well, She keeps her dishes down low too. And whenever some one asks her why, she does the same exact thing you just did!" Demyx started laughing again.

Cloud and Riku chose that minute to wander into the kitchen. Riku wore a whit tank with black pjama bottoms and Cloud was already dressed for work in a dark red button down with a navy tie and pants and a navy jacket slung over his arm.

Riku raised an eyebrow at his friend at the counter. "What's with you?"

"Nooooooooooothing."

"Right." Riku took a seat beside Demyx piled some food onto his plate hile Cloud moved to stand beside Roxas.

"You two are up early. You guys don't have another hour and a half until school."

Roxas is up early." Demyx pointed out before taking a bit of pancakes.

"Whoever makes breakfast has to wake up earliest." Roxas replied casualy as he made his own plate.

"So why are you two up?"

"Food." Demyx stated pointing at Roxas with his fork.

"Loud." Riku said pointing his fork at Demyx.

"What about the red head?"

Riku groaned while Demyx giggled. "I tried to wake him up. But he buried himself under the blankets on the bed."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Is it bad for him to sleep longer than you?"

"Not exactly. It's just-The idiot won't get up without _**his**_ alarm. Anything less and he'll sleep 'till five minutes before we leave, and then complain about how we didn't try to wake him up when we did; though these days we don't really brother any more."

"Hm."

Cloud continued to make casual chatter with Demyx and Riku when he was done. Roxas simply listened. Sora came down dressed an hour later to eat while Demyx and Riku took turns getting dressed in the downstairs bathroom. And true to Riku's word. A couple minutes before they all walked out the door, Axel came, hopping to get his shoes on with two rolled up pancakes and a sausage in his mouth. How did he plan to eat that?

Sora had left his board at home so he could walk with Roxas and the Juniors. Hayner, Olette and Pence came by on their board and scooters, but decided to carry them to walk with the group. When they had just about reached the school Hayner asked. "Why don't any of you have a car? I'd think if I lived like you did I'd a least hav my own or even my parents."

"Oh!" Demyx chirped. "Axel has one! It's-" Axel cut him off by giving his companion a smack upside the head.

"They don't need to know." He growled.

Demyx pouted rubbing the back of his head. "Didn't need t' hit me."

Sora and Roxas looked at each curiously before looking at the red head towering above them. "So where is it?"

"Shop." Axel replied quickly and left it at that.

* * *

Hiya! Wow it's 12:30am! Why does all my great inspiration for this story come at the wee hours of the night? I dunno, anyway thanks to whoever reads and thanks to the freeloader falling asleep on my bed. I LOVE YOU FREELOADER!!!!!!

Oh and the conversation between Roxas and the Grimalkin went like this:

'What's wrong?'

"Nothing. I'm fine."

'You're a bad liar.'

"I don't care if I'm a bad liar."

'It has to do with those new people downstairs, right?'

"Yeah, a little. I really. Don't feel comfortable with those new students staying here."

'I'll can claw their eyes out.'

"Don't. Cloud will think I told you to."

'Cloud, Cloud, Cloud. You care about those four too much.'

"Is that such a bad thing? Loving one's family too much."

'I suppose not.'


	4. Chapter 4

Dear god what is wrong with me?! Why is it I get all my inspiration during the ungodly hours of the night?! What is it now....1:40am. Eeesh.

Anyhoo, this chapter is a little shorter but, TaDaa!

DISCLAIMER: I own none of these people!

//_thinking or mind to mind talking//_

"Talking"

* * *

Homeroom was pretty uneventful. The only interesting thing about is that the twins learned that Axel was I their homeroom.(I have no idea how other schools work, but I my school homeroom is a mixture of grades.) It was a nice addition to Roxas, Sora, Olette, and, unfortunately, Seifer. When the twenty minute homeroom class of doing jack squat(most students used it to finish their homework last minute) Sora and Roxas met Demyx in the hallway and walked together what the two hyperactive teens insisted what would be the death of them. Which was also uneventful. There was a substitute for Ms. Belle, that resulted in a few pieces of chalk to the head when Roxas dozed in class, hey you'd be tired too after how early he woke up.

Roxas rubbed his forehead grudgingly where the chalk had hit with Sora and Demyx snickering behind him. The blond sighed when they parted with the older teen. Maybe science would be a little less boring. Turns out it was.

Five minutes after the bell rang, Dr. Stein walked in, thumping a book on the sleeping Roxas' head to wake him (Roxas was sitting right by the door).

"Class, today we will be starting our research reports of scientists from I don't care what time period as long as they did something important." Dr. Stein was really quite blunt, and incredibly creepy. He had stitches all over his body and loved to dissect things. Roxas was sure that if it wasn't for the school board, that's all they would ever do in the class, dissect things.

"We'll be going to the library to do research and pick out a scientist. Mind you all, there will be a Classical Literature class in there this hour. I personally don't care if you talk with them, but if Mrs. Joyce complains to me about it I'll knock five percentage points off your grades." Shiver. Dr. Stein was also extremely brutal.

In the library all the science students were scattered throughout the shelves. Sora was sticking to Roxas, pestering the blond for ideas.

"What are you doing, Rox?"

Roxas was flipping through a book as he replied. "I'm thinking Newton."

Sora scrunched his face. "Why Newton? Everyone knows what he did. It's an assignment Fifth Graders get."(no offence to anyone out there.)

Roxas snapped the book shut and glared at his twin. "You got any better suggestions?"

"Anyone but Newton."

Roxas returned his book to the shelf in exchange for another. "What have you got against gravity?"

"I can't fly."

Roxas looked up from the book to give his brother an exasperated look. "Fly?"

"Yeah! You know. Like birds!"

"I know what you mean. But you think without gravity we'd be able to fly?"

"Of course!" Sora beamed, which in turn made his blond twin sigh.

"You haven't been doing your science homework have you?"

"I have too!" Sora pouted. Then he pouted and began to twiddle his thumbs. "I just don't understand any of it."

Roxas snapped his book shut, but this time he used it to thump his brother on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Haven't I told you to come to me if you need help with homework?"

"Yeah."

"And why haven't you?"

"Well…."

"Well?"

"….You've been so happy hanging out with the gang lately, that I didn't want to take that away from you,"

Roxas blinked in surprised, and then sighed with a smile. "You really are troublesome." He said ruffling his brother's hair.

"Hey!"

"Do you think I'll be happy if my brother is held back a grade?"

Sora opened his mouth, then closed it when he couldn't think of what to say.

"Exactly. Next time you're confused you had better come to me for help."

Sora silently nodded, and it was a pretty nice moment, until the moment ruiner from last night popped up.

"Awwww…If that just isn't the cutest little thing then I don't know what is."

_Roxas jolted forward nearly running into the bookcase. Axel's voice had been __**way**_ to close for comfort for the blond.

Axel raised an eyebrow with an amused expression on his face. "Jumpy much?"

Roxas glared venomously at the older male, then stormed away from his twin and the red head until they were well out of his sight.

_//I really despise that man.//_ Roxas fumed angrily.

_//So I've noticed.//_ Some one answered coolly.

_//Z, It's not polite to ease drop.//_

_//Isn't that what you do?//_

_//It isn't ease dropping if I can't help it.//_

_//Right. Here comes your brother and Axel.//_

_//What are they doing?//_

_//Talking about your mood.//_

_//I should have known.//_

_//Well what else would they talk about after you just glared hatefully at him. What did he say in such a short time to rile you up so much?//_

_//Don't ask.//_

_//Don't want me to continue airdropping for you?//_

_//__**You**__ can eardrop, just tell me if Sora lets slip something he __**really**__ doesn't need to know.//_

_//Fine. I wonder when I started taking orders from you.//_

_//You don't have to, but if I really had to answer, I'd say you were doing it out of pity.//_

_//You make me sound like I'm evil or your pitiful.//_

_//Whatever floats your boat.//_ Roxas sighed as he felt the connection break. The librarian wasn't cursed with empathy like Roxas did, Zexion was able to read memories at will.

Roxas glanced at the bookshelves around him. They were on fireworks and festivals, which made the blond irritably. He did not want to wander around and risk running into the Axel, and Sora would only make him somehow feel guilty for glaring hatefully at the red head.

Festivals didn't seem likely to have anything about scientists in so fireworks it was.

The book was actually pretty interesting, with pictures of all the interesting designs they could make. A book entitled Explosion of Beauty and Destruction finally had what he was looking for, a name. Ascanio Sobrero, the scientist that discovered Nitroglycerin.

Much more interesting than gravity with Newton.

Careful not to lose his page, Roxas searched his pockets for something to keep track of the name, Roxas would never be able to remember how to spell it long enough to write the name down, and he still didn't feel like going to find his brother. All the blond managed to produce was a pen he borrowed from Olette during homeroom, still, better than nothing. Roxas rolled up his left sleeve while still holding the book and pulled the cap off the pen with his teeth. The blond quickly jotted down the scientists name just when he heard Dr. Stein call out that it was time to head back to the classroom.

Roxas closed the book and replaced it back onto the shelf. He jogged down to the end of the case and silently cursed at not being with Sora right then. Roxas had a horrible sense of direction. As Sora and Cloud liked to put it, the younger blond couldn't find his way through a video game with a map. If only the school's library wasn't so large.

The poor lost blond jogged past some more bookcases until the widows came in view, which he promptly jogged towards. Once he reached them he finally located the entrance of the library to his right. Finally.

_//Lost much, Roxas?//_

Roxas growled under his breath. _//Shut up, Z.//_

Roxas made his way to the front when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, out in the school courtyard. The library was on the second floor, giving the blond an excellent view of the deserted school grounds and front gate. Nothing inside of school peaked his interest, it was the small group of people outside the gate. Seifer, Fuu and Rai were loitering by the gate, talking about who knows what, once again, it appeared as if the group skipped.

_//Boneheads.//_ Roxas continued walking, ignoring Zexion when he asked who. But then a thought struck him. _//Why would they hang around school if they were skipping?//_

Roxas glanced out the window once more, and regretted it when he made eye contact with the scar-faced blond outside. Once Seifer saw Roxas was looking an absolutely villainous grin broke out on his face. And then he began…

"Oh, Hell no." Roxas breathed. Seifer began glowing a faint red and appeared to be chanting while drawing symbols the same red color as the glow with a bet up foot long stick, a wand, and those symbols definitely weren't Glamour.

When the hell did Seifer learn Sorcery?!

Roxas turned away from the window and sprinted to the front of the library, ignoring his still aching joints and reopening scabs from yesterday's tumble.

_//Zexion!!!//_ The blond practically screamed in his mind. _//Seifer-//_ He cut of by the window right next him shattering with such force that all the windows in the library shattered, and some thing tackling him into a bookcase. The bookcase, unable to handle the extreme force that had suddenly bore down upon it, toppled over into another bookcase, starting a domino effect for the row.

Roxas groaned and waited for his vision to clear, but that was also thwarted as whatever tackled him lifted him by the scruff of his shirt and threw him at the fallen bookcases. The blond was losing consciousness rapidly. His body couldn't take much more of this. There was shouting in the distance and the sound of doors banging open. He once more tried to open his eyes, and was once more abruptly stopped, this by a fist to the stomach. That was the last straw. He was out cold

Damn this wasn't his week.

* * *

The first thing Roxas was sure of when he woke up was that his entire body hurt like hell. The second thing he was sure of was the emotions hanging in the air. It was heavy with worry, and anger. The blond sat trying to recollect his thoughts.

Library, gravity, jackass, fireworks, Sobrero, Seifer, oh….Seifer. Now he remembered, that jerkwad attacked him! At school!

Roxas snapped his eyes open, then immediately shut tem in recoil. The room was too bright.

"Ah!" Roxas slid his eyes open slowly, letting them adjust to the light. His twin was blocking the light this time, face hovering above Roxas'. Sora broke out in a smile. "He's awake!" There was some movement behind the blue-eyed brunette, and Roxas let his gaze glide over the cause of the movement.

Axel, Demyx, and Riku were in there group to the blond's right, and Hayner, Pence, and Olette were to his left….along with Namine, Cloud, and Leon? When did they get to school? And now that he thought of it, when did the library get so white? And…was he in a _**bed?**_

It seemed to hit Roxas like a ram driving him away from its territory. "Somebody tell me I'm not in the hospital." The poor boy moaned, rubbing his eyes with his hand.

He heard his eldest brother chuckle and peaked out from under his hand. "You're not in the hospital." Cloud said. "We're at the infirmary at the Olympus hall. Aerith brought you here."

"Why?" The Olympus hall was the building all the magic world meetings were held at.

"You guys fill him in." Cloud said. He turned to leave with Leon right behind him. "We need to inform the rest of the council that Roxas is up."

The minute the door closed, Sora Hayner, Axel, Demyx, and Pence all began talking at once. Roxas couldn't tell who aid what, not what who was saying anyway.

"Shut up!" Roxas cried, clamping his hands over his hands over his ears. Too many voices, too many thoughts trying be conveyed, too many emotions, all rushing into the poor empath's head at once.

Once the room had quieted he ignored the confused stares of the new students in the back of the room and pointed to his brother in the chair beside him. "You, just you, tell me what happened."

"Well." Sora scratched his cheek as he thought carefully how to explain. "Well I guess the best place to start was when we went over to Zexion. I was waiting for you there with Axel when he started talking aloud, he said you saw some 'boneheads' outside. He went back to mumbling to himself. A few seconds later he suddenly jerked like someone had slapped him, and then the glass broke and the bookcases fell over. All the other students started shouting and evacuated from the library. We all," Sora gestured to the others, "And Zexion went running to the knocked over bookcases. When we got there Vivi, the demon Seifer summoned, just punched you out cold. He grabbed you and jumped out the window, didn't give any of us time to use our own magic. We followed him to the window, but he didn't even land before some fairies Aerith summoned dispelled him; then she rounded on Seifer and destroyed his rune gate, guy didn't even stand a chance. Anyway, Zack, who we're lucky was visiting, caught you and carried you here for Aerith. When the police showed up, Sergeant Pete and Setzer covered us leaving as taking us in for questioning and treatment. The entire thing's going to be covered in the papers and the news." Roxas pled a little an d Sora waved his hands rapidly. "No one was mentioned! They just said that it was a bomb made by a group of students gang that was remote controlled and exploded in the library knocking another poor student(you) out of a window and was luckily caught by a campus visitor taking a walk with a staff member. No names included, whatsoever!"

Riku raised an eyebrow. "Why are you worried about press coverage?"

Sora frowned and fiddled with his hands. Namine shuffled her feet. And Roxas engaged the edge of his blanket in a staring contest.

Axel growled in frustration. "What is with you people and all this god damned secrets?! I don't care how long we've been and how long we're going to be staying with you people, but I don't want to live in a house with people whispering their dirty little secrets behind our back!"

Hayner, Pence, and Olette shuffled, feeling awkward. "We'll just, go, and leave you talk this out." The herded themselves out, leaving the LeonHearts and their house guests in their awkward silence once more.

"Well." Riku stated. "Are you going to explain things?"

Namine opened her mouth to answer, but Roxas beat her to it. "No."

"Why not?" Axel fumed. "We have every right to know!"

Axel's anger stabbed ruthlessly into the empath's mind, and that did it. "How the freak do ya' figger that?!"

"Roxas clam down."

"I will not! We have three strangers staying in our house for five days and it hasn't even been half that when they decide to start prying into our private and past lives! How in the hell do you figure that because you aren't even staying a week at our house makes you entitled to know every secret? It wouldn't matter to me if you were staying a month! I'm not telling you anything! If you have a problem with me not telling my life's story to someone I've been around for less than twenty-four hours put together than you can just go stay in a hotel for all I care."

During Roxas' outburst all of Axel's rage had developed into guilt, it was obvious he hadn't looked at it that way and was now extremely guilty for yelling at the younger boy. Riku and Demyx had the same air of guilt around them, even though Demyx didn't even need to have it since he didn't press like the other two did.

Roxas flipped himself over, despite his screaming muscles and buried his face in the pillow.

Axel scratched the back of his neck. "Roxas, I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" The blond cried. "I…don't want to hear it. Not now….Later."

Axel struggled to find something to say, when nothing came to mind he sighed with defeat. "Later then." The red head left the room silently with Riku and Demyx right behind him.

When the door closed Sora sighed and began rubbing his brother's back to comfort him, didn't work at first though.

"Owwwwwwwwwww…"

"Ah, sorry."

Namine moved to the other chair next to Sora and sat down. "Did you have to be so mean Roxas? You were scaring me."

Roxas turned to look at his siblings. "Sorry Nam, I guess I just snapped under the pressure. But when he was angry about us keeping secrets it _**hurt**_. That guy can sure give off a lot of malice."

*Knock Knock*

Cloud poked his head in the room. "Hope I'm not interrupting but is there a specific reason everyone seems to be out moping in the hall, I just had to check to see that no one in here died while I was out."

Roxas just buried his head back in the pillow while Cloud moved fully into the room and shut the door behind him.

Sora gave a small smile to his older brother. "I'll explain later. For now, what's the good word?"

"Well, since just about everyone at school knows that Roxas was sent flying out a window, he's not allowed to be healed magically. Next Seifer's ass is in deep shit, pardon my French, in both the magic system and the legal system, he'll be lucky if he doesn't get expelled from the school. And finally, after another check up from the nurse we can all go home. Oh, and Roxas is excused from school and lessons for the next two or three days."

"I should say so." Namine said.

"Right. Anyways, tomorrow Setzer will be coming by the house to question you all about what happened for Seifer's trial, if he gets one."

"If?"

"It depends on if the school presses charges. So that's the basics, Roxas." No response. "Roxas?"

Namine put a finger to her lips. "He fell back asleep."

Cloud sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "First the car and now this. I swear. The council says that if something else happens before the week is over then they'll consider it to be sabotage, or worse."

Sora swallowed the fear that began to well inside of him. "I hope it's choice A, or just a bunch of extremely bizarre coincidences."

"Don't we all."

* * *

I hate myself for making Roxas so mean in this chapter, but I blame Mansex! And all the screeching Monty Python videos I was watching earlier.


	5. Chapter 5

It is now, *checks clock* Two am, Like I said. Ungodly hours of the night. Why???? Oh, Another thing. I. HATE. PAPERS!!!!!! Curse you assigned papers!!! Because of you, I didn't update as soon as I wanted to!!! And this is sorter than I wanted it!!!!! *ahem* Here's the next chappy. Tanx fer readin!

Disclaimer: None of the games or characters are mine.

* * *

The night passed, and the group staying at the LeonHeart home found themselves back at the house, Roxas still fast asleep on his elder brother's back. Cloud had arranged for a friend from work to drop them off.

The evening passed silently. Those who were in the room with the blond when he burst didn't feel like talking, and the two that were not in the room didn't feel like pressing. Roxas was put in bed, and everyone else followed suite, due to lack of distractions.

The morning was brighter than the evening before it. Sora and Demyx were their usual cheery selves, which, in turn, cheered everyone else up. Roxas was the only one still asleep, but nobody paid that any mind. A day off from school would do the boy good.

Time found us with Leon as he waved his lover and the others off to their daily tasks. He decided to stay home to keep and keep an eye on his brother-in-law.

As if on cue from the thought, a loud shouting echoed from the upstairs. "Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! Smoof!"

Smoof? Leon chuckled and made his way to the young blond's room. Right before Leon reached the doorway there was a loud thud, followed by a moan. Roxas had tried to get out of bed too quickly and ended up get tangled in the blankets and fell on the floor in an ungraceful heap.

"Need help?" Leon chuckled as he helped the smaller boy off the ground and out of the blankets.

"Not now. I'm going to be late for school!"

"You're not going."

"Huh?" Roxas gave the older man a skeptical look.

"You're excused from going to school for the next two days, and Axel said to let you sleep."

"Axel did?"

"And Demyx, and Riku, and Sora, and Nami, and Cloud, and myself."

"A unanimous vote?"

"More like a silent agreement."

"Oh." Roxas followed the brunette downstairs to the leftover breakfast in the oven.

"Who made breakfast? Nam?"

"Demyx."

Roxas stopped halfway into the kitchen. "He did? Why?"

"He said he wanted to make an apology for you." Leon replied as he pulled the plate out of the oven. "Axel and Demyx helped, but Demyx did most of the cooking. Here."

The plate had scrambled eggs drowned in cheese and salsa with slices of fried ham.

Roxas let a small smile pass his lips. Sora and Namine must have told them his favorite.

"They really are sorry Roxas." Leon said.

"I know." Roxas whispered. "I didn't mean to, I just……sorta…..did."

Roxas sat at the island counter and nibbled his breakfast quietly. He really hadn't meant to blow up, but being under pressure lately, and the stupid accidents and Seifer pushed him over the edge.

"Oh, by the way, Reno and Rude are coming by later. Rude's going to help me build that wardrobe you were going to help me with, since you're supposed to be resting and all."

Rude worked with Leon at the shop. Roxas liked to help too on days he could, which wasn't today.

Roxas nodded while he ate. When he finished he dumped his plate in the sink.

"Nyow!" Roxas glanced over his shoulder at his grimalkin. "Meaw nyan nyan!"

Leon stared questioningly at the blond.

"He's hungry." Roxas explained.

"Oh." Leon walked around the cat and out of the room while the cat walked around Leon to the counter next to Roxas.

"Nyaow nyan nya nya?"

"Reno and Rude."

"Nya?"

Roxas pulled out a blue bowl and a bag of cat kibble. "You know. The red haired man that we kept calling a pedophile and the black guy that has black glasses."

"Nyan nya nya nyan nyan nyow."

"No. That's Axel. They're completely different." Roxas paused in the middle of scooping kibble. "At least, I hope they are, I don't think I could handle two pedophiles hitting on me."

"Nya."

Roxas finished scooping and pushed the bowl to the cat, who looked at it distastefully.

"C'mon Beach, It can't be_**that**_ bad." The cat stuck its head into the sink as response. "I'm not falling for your imitation of Sora barfing."

The grimalkin pulled its head out to glare at Roxas for a second and then returned it to the sink.

Roxas waited a minute. When Beach still had not moved the blonde sighed.

"Alright, fine." The cat's head shot up when it heard the refrigerator door open. Roxas pulled out a small white Tupperware. He opened it and showed the contents to the cat. "Will you eat it if I put this on it?"

"Nyow!" The cat pranced back over to the bowl and waited for its master to feed it the fishy treat of leftover tuna. "Why do I spoil you?" The blond asked once the tuna had been lathered all over the kibble.

"Nya nya nya nyaaaan nya!"

Roxas gave a snort, then began to absently scratch his kitten behind its ears as it ate.

* * *

~At School~

Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. AHA! Bored. To be weary with tedious dullness. Why isn't school under here?

Axel sat in his classic lit class in the library, boredly flipping through a dictionary.

Gigolo, a man paid to be a woman's escort. That's creepy. Axel made a note tp never be a gigolo.

Flipping. Flipping. Flipping.

Masonry, Fatty tissue that fills the cavities of most bones.

Joy. Dictionaries are so much fun.

"Akuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" was all the red-head got as a warning before he was glomped by his mullet/mohawk headed partner in crime, with his other silver haired partner right behind, although with less glomping.

"Aku!"

"What's with the weird nickname?" Axel asked boredly. He wasn't at all phased by the PDA (public display of affection). He gave up trying to stop the random glomps from Demyx long ago.

"Aku means evil, or something like that."

"So now my nickname is evil?"

"No, it's Aku!" Demyx glanced over Axel's shoulder at the dictionary. His face scrunched up and he practically leapt away from Axel.

"Why are you reading that?! That's nasty!"

Thump!

Demyx rubbed his head gingerly and backed away from the book weilding librarian. "Do not shout in the library." He swiped the dictionary away from Axel next. "And do not use the books to look up inappropriate things to satisfy your boredom."

"It's just a _**word**_." Axel grumbled.

"Even so, that is not what the books are for." With that, Zexion walked off into the vast sea of bookcases. Axel briefly wondered how a school library could be so large.

When the slate haired boy was out of site, Riku slid into the seat across from Axel while Demyx filled the seat next to the red head.

"Spill mister grumpy." Riku commanded "Why the sour mood?"

"Yeah! Why the mister grumpy sour mood?"

"Nothing." Axel replied. He laid his head in his arms. "Just tired."

"Uh-huh." Riku nodded. "Right. And Demyx here just found a pot filled with unicorns, rainbows, and potatoes made of gold."

"I did?"

"Of course not, I'm being sarcastic."

"Awwwwwww." Demyx slumped in his chair. "I wanted some golden potatoes."

Axel turned his head to give his friend a confused look, which he caught. "If I had golden potatoes I could make golden hash browns!"

Riku snorted and tried to hide his amusement behind his hand. It didn't work ery well.

"Whaaa~aaat? I looooooove golden hash browns."

"So we can see."

"Anywho, Why are you _**really**_ grumpy Aku?"

Axel sighed. "I told you I'm tired,"

"Well you're a bad liar."

"Will you stop with the rhymes."

"Not this time."

"Nnngh." Axel reburied his head in his arms.

Riku sighed irritably. "C'mon Axel." Nothing…..

"Axel" Still nothing.

Cue evil light bulb to pop over Riku's head.

"Hey look, Roxas _**did**_ come to school today." Axel's head shot up so fast that the red head lost his balance and fell backwards out of his chair.

Demyx burst out laughing and pointed at Axel while Riku smirked triumphantly, like the annoying person that made someone slip out a secret that they were trying to keep.

"I knew it." Riku stated while Axel rubbed his head. He glared evilly at Riku, with a I'm-gonna-cut-your-head-off-with-an-effin-toothbrush-if-I-have-too look. Riku ignored it. The sliver head leaned forward on the table with his hand in his chin. He looked like a cat that found a cornered mouse.

"You've been thinking about Roxas ever since last night."

Axel glared a the floor. Demyx was just confused. "Really? Why?"

"In case you forgot." Axel growled. "The brat hates us. Why would I be thinking about him?"

"Hm." Riku pointed at the red head on the floor. "Well your reaction says otherwise."

"And you were so eager to wake him breakfast."

"And you were the first one to suggest we let him sleep through school."

"And nobody really likes having someone mad at them.

"So you were probably trying to get on his good side."

"Stop finishing each others sentences! You're making me dizzy!" Axel had been looking back and forth and each reply. "What's you're point anyways?"

"Perhaps that you have a crush on the blond that is on grade below, and a numerous years below you." The three jumped a good feet in the air. They still weren't used to the great librarian's appearing act.

Once Axel recomposed himself he glared at Zexion. "I do not!"

"Didn't I tell you not shout in the library?"

"Sorry about him Zexy!"

Zexion turned on Demyx. "And didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

Riku shook his head. "I'm sorry for both of them. But it looks like you hit the nail on the head." He looked at the fuming red head on the floor, more amused than before.

Axel gritted his teeth. "I. Do. Not. Like. That. Brat. Like. That."

"It's not a bad thing." Zexion said coolly. "Certainly not for him anyways. He needs someone else outside his family he can trust." The slate haired boy turned his back on the trio and walked a few paces away before stopping. "But it could be bad for you."

The three looked at each other, none of them knew what he was talking about. "The crap are you spewing one-eye?" Axel demanded.

"Crap? I never speak crap."

A light bulb snapped in Riku's head. "Does this have anything to do with what they won't tell us?"

"….Yes. And you would be wise not to dig too deep into that subject."

"Why not? What's this big secret?"

"It…is not my place to say. What the family is hiding is larger than anything you could ever imagine. If you must know then you will be putting yourselves in danger. If you do learn he secret, then know this above all else." Zexion turned his head, just enough for the three to see his eye that wasn't covered by hair. He was glaring at them with a chilling murderous gaze, they were to afraid to interrupt. "Roxas has been a precious friend of mine for many, many years. And if anyway of you somehow hurt him in any way, I will make you regret coming to this town in a way so horrible it cannot possibly be described."

With those final words, Zexion walked away, back into the bookcases, leaving the three in a stunned silence.

They glance at each other for a minute, still too stunned to speak. Axel broke the silence with one thing running through each of their minds.

"What in the hell was that?"

* * *

Ding Dong!

"Roxas can you get that?"

Roxas blinked wearily. He fell asleep? How? He remembered cleaning up after feeding Beach. He got out a book and laid down on the couch, wide awake. Beach came to join him and---Beach.

Roxas looked at his chest and sure enough, the white grimalkin was curled up on his chest, gazing at him intently.

Ding Dong!

"Just a second!" Roxas called. He glared at the cat, who decided to move, not because Roxas had to, but because the couch sounded comfier. That was its excuse anyways.

"The next time you decide that I need more sleep, try asking me if I do first."

The blond slid off the couch ad walked down the hall to the front door.

Ding Dong! Ding Dong Diiiiiing Dong!

Roxas groaned. There were only three people he knew that rang the door like that…..on second thought, maybe four, Demyx seemed like the type to do that, Sora and Hayner rang it like that, but as far as he knew, they were at school, which left…

"OIIIIII! Open the door! I don't like waiting out here forever! I could always head down to the high school and entertain my self-"

Roxas ripped the door open and gave his best sic kingly sweet smile. "Entertain yourself _**how**_?"

The red head looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Ummm…Nothing to do with you. Nope. Or anyone under eighteen. I-d….um….Visit Aerith! Yeah."

Yeah right.

Roxas turned to Rude. "How in the hell do you put up with this pervert."

"Ouch. That hurts."

Rude smiled, just a little. "I make thing that explode for him, that normally gets him to behave. Other times I threaten to not give him exploding things."

"Heelooooo! I'm right here."

Roxas and Rude ignored him as they walked back to the living room.

"So where's that brother of yours? I wanted to have a drink with him later."

"Well he'll be back later. He had another council meeting."

"Why are there so many damn meetings lately anyway?" Reno grumbled. He had followed behind the two.

Roxas glanced at him. "Did you close the front door."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Don't call me that. Anyway, It's partly mine and Seifer's fault. And the other part is THEIR fault."

"'Their'? They have a name you know."

"Names have more power than you know."

"Right. Whatever you say. Oh here, this is the new game I told you about. Awesome as hell."

"Uh…Thanks. I thought you were gonna say something perverted and make me bite your head off." Roxas had forgotten that Reno could be pretty cool when he wasn't hitting on him.

"Oh, this isn't my head. It's a robotic head with my brain in it because I blew it off yesterday. If like metal then by all means, bite it off." And the sarcasm. Roxas had forgotten the endless sarcasm.

"So, taking a sick day? You do look like hell. Want me to give you a foot rub or somthin somethin." Reno winked at the blond, who scrunched his face in disgust.

"You've barely been in the house for five minutes and you're already hitting on him? Show some shame." Leon said as he came out of his shop in the back of the house.

"Well, seeing how you vultures will be circling him now, more than ever, I thought I should jump at every chance I get."

"Pedophile." Roxas muttered.

"Yeah, yeah, but in two years you'll be legal."

Leon rolled his eyes. "I called you over to help me, not to hit on my poor brother-in-law."

"Alright." Leon and Rude went into the shop, when Reno got to the doorway he turned and blew Roxas a kiss. "Luv u!" He dashed inside and slammed the door just before he was hit by the pillow Roxas grabbed of the couch. Roxas fumed silently as he heard Reno laughing like crazy behind the door.

He counted to ten, to calm down, before he went and retrieved the pillow from the floor.

Reno himself wasn't too bad. He just joked around too much about hitting on Roxas. It had gotten hard to tell if he actually meant it or not any more.

Roxas side glanced the calender in the hall.

Wendsday. Three more days until the tournament. And only two left after today to train. He would have to go to school tomorrow, and to lessons if he wanted to be ready.

Ready for what? To win? To lose? Or something else? Roxas wasn't sure why, but the tournament was giving him a bad feeling today, because of Seifer.

Seifer had no idea what he had done. He passed out when Aerith attacked his rune gate, and when he woke up, he was as confused as hell, pointing to possession.

The council believed that Seifer had been possessed.

If he was, Roxas had a good idea of who did it. He just hoped with every fiber of his being that he was wrong.

* * *

Waaaaaaaaaaay too short. Oh well. The conversation between Roxas and Beach went like this:

"Roxas!" Roxas glanced over his shoulder at his grimalkin. "I'm hungry!"

Leon stared questioningly at the blond.

"He's hungry." Roxas explained.

"Oh." Leon walked around the cat and out of the room while the cat walked around Leon to the counter next to Roxas.

"Who did he say was coming?"

"Reno and Rude."

"Who?"

Roxas pulled out a blue bowl and a bag of cat kibble. "You know. The red haired man that we kept calling a pedophile and the black guy that has black glasses."

"I thought the red head was staying here."

"No. That's Axel. They're completely different." Roxas paused in the middle of scooping kibble. "At least, I hope they are, I don't think I could handle two pedophiles hitting on me."

"Ha."

~Skip some~

"Will you eat it if I put this on it?"

"Of course!" The cat pranced back over to the bowl and waited for its master to feed it the fishy treat of leftover tuna. "Why do I spoil you?" The blond asked once the tuna had been lathered all over the kibble.

"Because you looooooove me!"


	6. Chapter 6

Hi there! Hooray! It's not 2 am! I have a babysitting job tonight and a St. Patty's day party to host so I wanted to get this done today! And I have no Finals to worry about! Whoot! Any way. Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KH I OR II OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS

* * *

**

Leon was nearly finished with the wardrobe, so Reno and Rude were no longer needed. The didn't leave though. Reno was acting like a freeloader, lounging on the couch while watching TV and eating whatever he could whip up between shows. Roxas had begun to theorize that the man's stomach was a bottomless pit, and his taste buds were that of a tiger shark's, willing to eat garbage. Right now Reno was eating a tortilla with relish, mayo, black olives, and pepperoni on it. Yuck.

Roxas, not wanting to "cuddle" as the older man put it, settled with playing chess with Rude in the corner of the room, between the kitchen and the TV room. So far Roxas was losing. Badly.

Around five forty, Cloud came through the front door with an armload of groceries. Roxas and Rude paused their game to help the older blond.

"So how are you, Rude?" Cloud asked as they putting away groceries.

"Fine." Replied the darker man.

"And you?" Roxas caught his brother's eye. A gentle worry was sliding off Cloud.

"I'm fine Cloud. I took some painkillers and lied around for most of the day. Until Rude and the egotistic orange haired pedophile came over."

"I heard that! And it's red!" Reno yelled form the other room.

"You were meant to and I don't care!"

"Oh! My heart! It's breaking! Can you hear the cracking?" The were some loud cracking noises, like someone was trying to slowly break a plank in two.

"That better not be anything important Reno, or I'll have your hide!" Cloud shouted.

"Reno mumbled something like "aw, shit." raising some chuckles from Roxas.

"I kind of hope it was something important, just so I can watch Cloud skin him.

Rude raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Sadistic much?"

"Only when pedophiles are involved."

Once every thing was put away, Cloud pulled a package of Italian sausage out of the freezer and put it in a bowl of warm saltwater to thaw.

"Okay. Rude and I will take care of dinner, so you go rest."

Roxas pouted. "I'm injured, not incapable."

Cloud's response was him giving Roxas a **hard** slap on the back. Roxas bit back a yelp of pain. His eyes watered as he felt some the sting of some minor cuts reopening. On the outside he was biting his lip and squeezing his eyes shut, like he had soap in them. "Right, until I can do that without getting a response like that, you're going to rest and do less work." Roxas opened one eye to glare at his older brother, only getting a chuckle in response. "Yes, yes, yes. You hate me. You'll get me for this and all that jazz. Now out of the kitchen with you."

Grudgingly, Roxas complied. He threw himself facedown onto the couch.

Right on cue, the front door opened.

"We're hoooooooooome!" Sora screamed. "And really, really sweaaaaaaty!"

Roxas turned his head and watched his twin prance down the hall followed by Namine, then Demyx, then Riku, and finally Axel. The last three seemed very anxious.

As if it wasn't obvious what they were anxious about.

"I'm hungry!" Sora announced. He dragged Namine through the dining room with him. Sora wanted to make sure nobody would disturb the apology about to happen.

The tension alone in the room was enough to suffocate the empath. The thing was, none of the three looked like they knew what to say.

Fortunately, Roxas did.

When Axel opened his mouth to speak, hopefully, Roxas cut him off. "Will somebody hand me the remote? There's a Resident Evil on and I thought you guys would like to watch it with me."

In the dining room Sora stifled a laugh. That was just like his brother.

Demyx, Riku, and Axel on the other hand, were flabbergasted.

"But-" Demyx stammered. "But-but I-but you-but-but-why-and-"

Roxas sighed. "Look. Either we can try to apologize to each other and get nowhere, or, we can pretend we already apologized and act like nothing happened in the first place. Personally, I prefer the latter."

Axel's face broke out in a wide grin. "What were we talking about?"

"Exactly."

Demyx and Riku both smiled and took seats on the couch under the staircase while Axel plopped down next to the blonde.

"Now, onto the mindless watching of mindless zombies mindlessly eating people!" Axel shouted. "Sora! Namine! Get in here!" The two walked into the room rather quickly for people that claimed they would be in the kitchen. 'They were listening at the door' Roxas noted, annoyed.

"Who would miss zombies?" Sora asked.

"Mindless zombies." Axel corrected.

Sora was grinning from ear to ear while Namine smiled knowingly, she always did that when she was happy. It always made Roxas wonder if she somehow kept something from his empathy.

"So I wasn't hearing things." Roxas frowned and turned to the hall entrance. He had forgotten the pedophile was still here. Said pedophile was grinning, almost evilly, at the gaping red head next to Roxas. "Hello baby brother." Baby brother? Roxas looked back and forth between the two red heads. They did both have red hair and tattoos under their eyes, although they weren't a genetic trait. But it couldn't be possible, could it?

Aw screw it. Just ask.

"This pedophile is your brother?"

Riku and Demyx broke out laughing on the other couch. "A pedophile! That's perfect! That is just too perfect! Why didn't you think of that Axel?"

Axel growled under his breath and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "Never mind that, what is he **doing** here?"

"I came to be useful, Reno's grin took on a hint of evil once more. "Unlike **some** people. I heard from a little birdie that you're freeloading here."

Axel growled again. "Not that it's any of your business _**brother**_, we're staying here until our actual home is finished being remodeled."

Axel's anger was rolling off in waves and it was not only scaring Roxas that Axel could be so angry at his brother for some, yet unsaid, reason but it was also hurting Roxas. The waves were burning the inside of Roxas; mind, like a dozen campfires were set up in the cramped space in his head and every new wave felt like another fire was built.

Roxas slouched forward and clutched his head in his hands. His breathing was coming out in ragged pants. Sora noticed immediately and leapt to his twins side, Namine fidgeted worryingly in her seat and Reno's grin faded into a serious frown.

"Calm down Axel."

"Calm down? Calm down?! You ditch mom and me for five years, FIVE WHOLE YEARS, and all you can say to me is calm down?!"

Roxas flinched when he felt a sharp pang in his head. Axel's anger had jumped a few notches at once.

"Axel."

"Don't you 'Axel' me, you bastard! We waited for you! Waited until it killed us! If you had been there she wouldn't have died! Mom would still be-"

Sora cut him off franticly. "Cloud help!"

Axel snapped his head around to glare at the brunette. How dare he interrupt him! But that anger immediately dissolved into worry when he saw the blonde twin.

Like I said, Roxas was slouched forward and was clutching his head in his hands, but now he was sweating like mad and he was as white as a sheet.

"Hey, you okay?" Axel reached out to Roxas.

"Don't touch him!" Cloud roared. He scooped the trembling boy up in his arms and speed walked down the hall with Sora at his heels.

Axel stood frozen in place. "What the hell was that?" Demyx asked. He and Riku didn't notice Roxas until Sora screamed.

Leon, who had rushed from his workshop when he heard Sora, sighed and rubbed his temples. Reno stood next to Rude who had come from the kitchen. "We might as well tell you now so this doesn't happen again. Roxas is an empath."

"A….what?"

"An empath."

"And what the smoof is that?"

Leon sighed again. "Doesn't Cloud teach you two anything? An empath is a person that san feel and hear the thoughts and emotions of people."

Axel paled a little while Riku asked "You mean he can read our minds?"

"I suppose you can say that, but this is more like…..an internet site getting pop ups every time some one logs on, and the pop ups will only go away once the person has left the site."

Demyx whistled. "Wow. That's……yikes"

"So." Axel croaked "Just now…..What just happened?"

"Was _**your**_ fault." Reno stated coldly. "You were angry, and that was hurting him. He's lucky you guys weren't touching."

"Touching?"

"Skin to skin contact amplifies his empathy powers."

"So…." Demyx glanced down the hall where Cloud had taken Roxas. "Is he gonna be alright?"

"He'll pull through." Namine gave another one of her knowing smiles. "This certainly isn't the first time this happened. And I doubt it will be the last."

Axel heaved a heavy sigh of relief. He wasn't sure what he would do if he had caused the blond any permanent damage.

"Sooooooooo……..Now what?" Demyx asked.

"I'll go check on them." Leon said. He walked down the hall and out of sight before anyone could argue.

Axel slumped back down on the couch. "Why am I such a moron?"

"Because you are." Reno stated, opting to lean against the wall next to the hall. Reno was glaring coldly at his little brother.

"What you think this is my fault?"

"How is it not your fault?"

Axel leapt out of his seat. "How is it not _**yours**_?!"

A hint of surprise flashed across Reno's face before it turned into a snarl. "What?"

"You provoked me!"

"Well maybe if you weren't so easily provoked."

"Why you-"

SPLASH!!!

Reno and Axel were standing in the middle of the room, preparing to beat the ever living shit out of each other, and sopping wet.

"I do not want to have to be revived twice in one day. Thank you very much." Roxas said swing a bucket around in his hand he handed the bucket to Demyx and took his seat on the couch once more. "Now you dry off. I don't want to watch Resident Evil next to a wet person."

Axel and Reno didn't listen.

"Roxas! Are you-"

"I'm fine."

"Did-"

"I'm fine."

"How do-"

"I'm fine."

"But I-"

"I'm. Fine."

"But-"

"Look. I'm not mad. You didn't know, because I didn't tell you. So if it's anyone's fault it's mine. Now hurry up and go dry off before the movie starts."

Reno didn't look satisfied. But Axel. Well Axel couldn't possibly feel any more relieved. Hearing that from Roxas made him feel ten times better.

Axel and Reno did dry off, quietly, and not fighting. Cloud and Rude went back to cooking while Reno went with Leon to bug, I mean, help him in the workshop.

Throughout the entire movie, Axel kept stealing glances at Roxas. The movie was scaring Namine, Sora and Demyx to death, but Roxas was unfazed, in fact, there were parts of the movie where he almost fell asleep.

Axel was kind of disappointed. He wanted to be Roxas' pillow to hide his face in when the movie got too scary and-----wait. WHAT?! Why the hell did Axel think that? He was not attracted to Roxas. He couldn't be. The kid hated him, no matter how cute his blond hair and blue eyes were--gah! Why did he keep thinking these things.

Axel flinched lightly when something fell in his lap. He looked down and blushed madly. It was Roxas! The kid actually fell asleep during the movie! In a shooting scene no less.

Axel silently thanked Sora for turning the lights off to watch the movie, because he was sure his face looked like a tomato right now. No matter how hard he tried, all he could concentrate on was the light breathing of Roxas. Axel smiled a bit and combed his fingers through Roxas' hair. The boy stirred slightly and turned to face Axel. Axel sighed a little. Roxas looked so peaceful when he slept. They stayed that way through the whole movie, Roxas using axel as a pillow, and Axel running his fingers through Roxas' hair. During one of the brighter scenes, Axel glance around the room and blinked when he notice the seat changes.. Sora and Demyx had changed seats at some point during the movie. Now Namine and Demyx were clutching pillows next to each, like girls watching a scary movie at a sleepover. Sora had moved next to Riku, and had his face buried in Riku's lap. He was awake and shaking. Riku was looking at Axel and Roxas with a self satisfied smirk, but when Riku noticed Axel staring at Sora in Riku's lap, the silverette blushed and gave Axel a glare that was daring Axel to mention it to someone else.

The movie was over to soon for Axel's taste. He wanted to sit with Roxas longer, but instead, just before the lights came back on, Axel pushed Roxas upright and scooted away from the blond. Roxas yawned tiredly and stood, mumbling something about water. As Axel watched the blond go, there was no doubt in his mind about what Riku said in the library being true.

Axel did like Roxas.

* * *

This is too short for my taste, but, I have to clean and work so if I had tried to make it longer it wouldn't have been out for another week. Oh well. Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Yoo Hoo! I'm back! It isn't Two. am. but it is late on a school night so I didn't write as much. Also Thanx for my reviews. I love you people! Another thing. One of my reviews mentioned that they didn't like Reno. And I'm sorry about that. I didn't want to make Reno that mean, but it was the only thing I could think of at the time to get across that Reno and Axel didn't like each other and would bicker about the silliest things. So sorry again. Good night and thanks agian for reading!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KH I OR II OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS**

* * *

Mornings are icky, to Roxas anyway.

After last nights movie he ate dinner at the table with everyone, but that didn't go nicely. Reno and Axel just could not stop bickering, or more accurately, Reno would some how find a way to tease and or piss off Axel, which in turn resulted in an argument that always led to the beginning of a fist fight which Rude, Leon, or Cloud ended before a blow was actually thrown. After dinner Roxas announced that he would be going to school in the morning, and added that if anyone tried to stop him he would starve himself. It's needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, that they all agreed to let Roxas go to school.

This morning Roxas was achy, and tired, but he'll be damned if he misses another day of school. But since he was up early, and he was achy, he decided to take a hot shower. Namine took hers before she went to bed last night, and Sora…..Screw Sora, he can wait.

Roxas slipped into the bathroom across his room. The structure was fairly simple. A long counter from the wall next to the door to the toilet that was next to the shower/tub against the far wall. The ground tile was a mix of dirty red colors while the walls were a light brown. The counter and the shower/tub was a creamy color with a raspberry pigment mixed in. There was a large mirror that stretched above the counter with a cabinet next to it.

Roxas walked over to the tub and turned the knob, allow a jet of water to start streaming. He dipped his hand in the flow. The water was freezing. He turned the knob further to the left and began stripping while he waited for the water to heat up. He had removed everything and was in the process of removing his bandages when he spotted himself in the mirror.

It was odd, to say the least. If you were to look at Sora or Cloud, they would look normal. Cloud had picked up their mother's brilliant blonde hair while Sora had their father's chocolate brown. Roxas' was a mix, not brown, or a bright blonde like Cloud's, it was a dirty sandy color. His eyes weren't the same either. Sora's was a deep, deep shade of blue, like you were staring into a sapphire. Cloud's were just as dark and beautiful. But Roxas' were bright, bright and cold, like he was.

That was a symbol of a Necromancy drawn. Everything about them was either as close to white, the actual color of death, or cold, like the dead are. Sometimes it was both. Like Roxas. No matter how long he stayed in the sun, he would never tan, or warm up. He was always cold to the touch. Necromancy was considered a forbidden magic by society, so Necromancy users were thought to be cursed.

Roxas had finished removing his bandages and gazed at himself in the mirror. His chest and arms were cover in numerous scraped and scratches, as well as many scars. The largest scar that stood out the most was actually two scars that started from a shoulder and drew out to his opposite thigh crossing the other scar forming a large X on his front. Roxas traced it in the mirror. He could still feel the pain from the blade.

Roxas suppressed a shudder and turned back to the tub. The water was almost warm enough. Roxas was about to step in when he noticed that he was out of shampoo. Right, Sora mentioned that he had used it all the other night.

Not wanting to smell like Namine's Lavender scented shampoo, Roxas slipped a towel around his waist and walked out into the hall. Cloud had bought some last night, but no one had bothered to bring it up to the bathroom.

Roxas made it down the stairs and into the kitchen, where the bottle was sitting. Roxas noted that he really ought to have put it away last night, but he had been too tired.

Roxas grabbed the bottle and turned around to head back to his shower.

Axel was standing in the doorway. Red sweat pants, and no shirt.

Roxas felt a blush creeping into his cheeks. He was so focus on how embarrassing it was to be standing like just about naked in front of a half naked Axel, that he failed to notice how Axel's face practically blended in with his hair.

Both boys' first reaction was to stand there stupidly and gawk at the other. Their next was to babble apologies incoherently while staring at the floor. Axel risked a glance back at Roxas a blushed harder. That boy was just so damn cute! Especially when he was blushing. But….

Roxas could feel the embarrassment rolling off the red head in waves. Roxas glanced up at Axel, catching the taller boy's eyes before he also blushed harder and dashed out of the room, up the stairs, and into the bathroom slamming the door behind him. Roxas leaned against the door and let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. How could that man stand walking around like that? Sure, Roxas was too, but this was his own house! Axel was a guest!

Roxas let towel fall the floor as he stepped into the tub and pull the pin that changed it to the shower nozzle. Roxas leaned into the hot spray that danced on his skin. The water was probably only just above lukewarm, but it always felt hot on his skin. He gently scrubbed that shampoo into his hair while he reflected on what he had seen downstairs.

He was just now thinking of all the things he could have said to Axel, something to let that man know that he didn't appreciate someone that didn't live there walking around like they did, but for some reason, his brain just seemed to melt whenever he remembered the image of shirtless Axel. He had to say, the man had a nice pack. He must lift weights. It was a little funny that a day ago Axel had been watching him sleep and today Axel had seen him half naked and---Axel had seen him.

Axel had seen him.

And that meant he had seen it. The scar.

Of all the things that Roxas didn't want those three boys to know about, the scar was one of the major ones.

Roxas hugged himself. He suddenly felt very cold.

He finished his shower quickly, gathered his clothes and hurried into his room. He managed dress his lower half before he collapsed on his bed.

He saw.

He saw.

.Hesaw.

He would tell his friends.

They would know. They would ask. He would ask.

They would keep asking, until Roxas would have no choice but to tell.

Then they would know. They would hate him. They would scorn him. They would want nothing to do with him. Just like before.

Just like before……..

Roxas shook with suppressed sobs.

How could he have been so stupid? He had known that they were there. He should have been more careful. The only people that knew about his scars aside from the doctors who treated him and the people who gave him the scars, no one knew about the scars.

Roxas a shown on of his old friends and told him how he got it, then suddenly they weren't friends anymore.

There was a knock at the door. Roxas didn't answer. He already knew who it was. It never failed. When one was troubled, the other could always tell.

Sora let himself in and silently closed the door behind him before he rushed to his brother's side. "Roxas. Roxas what's wrong?"

Roxas turned and buried his face in his brother's neck. "He saw."

"He? He who? What did he see?"

"Axel."

"Axel?"

"Sora." Roxas sobbed. "He saw, Sora. He _**saw**_."

"Roxas. What did he--oh." Sora hugged his brother closer and stroked his wet, blonde spikes. He understood what Sora meant. "Oh Roxas. Oh Roxy."

"What do I do? WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo? He saw. He'll tell. They'll ask. They'll leave. What do I do?" Roxas babble between sobs.

"Shhh. It's okay. It'll be alright. Everything will be fine." Sora soothed. Then something occurred to the older twin. "I thought you didn't care about them."

"I didn't. I didn't. But then they were nice. They were funny. They're someone we can talk to about the magic world. And I started to like them. But now they'll know. They'll hate us. And it's my fault."

"Shhh. Don't worry Roxas. "

"But-"

"Don't worry." Sora held Roxas at arms length and looked him in the eye. "Just wait for now. If you don't press then they might not even ask." Sora wiped away the tears sliding down his brother's cheeks. "We'll worry about what to tell them when they ask."

Roxas sniffed and nodded. "Kay."

Sora smiled. "Just keep your cool. They won't even notice."

Roxas smiled and tiredly rested his head on his twin's shoulder. "Thanks Sora. I-I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sora ran his hand through Roxas wet hair again. "Ditto, man."

Sora left Roxas to finish dressing. Breakfast was awkward to say the very least. Even though Roxas tried to keep his cool, he couldn't look Axel in the eye. Everyone could tell, but whenever someone tried to bring it up, Sora changed the subject. They all walked to school, in not exactly silence, but Axel and Roxas would just not speak, or rather, Roxas wouldn't talk to Axel, or even look at him.

At school, they split up for homeroom. Roxas still wouldn't speak or look at Axel. Seifer was absent again. Olette sat in front of Roxas and turned to look at him.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, Olette." Roxas said, faking a smile as best as he could. It hurt to do it, but he just couldn't muster up enough to really smile.

Roxas' empathy told him that Olette could tell it wasn't convinced. But she didn't press. "So the tournament is this weekend. You guys excited?"

"Hell yeah!" Sora exclaimed. "It's been months since the last one."

"A year." Roxas corrected.

"Well that's months. It's twelve months, but still months."

"Whatever."

"Oh, by the way. Hayner's pissed you missed school yesterday."

"It wasn't my fault."

"I know. But it's Hayner. He gets upset at the most stupid things."

"Yeah." Sora agreed with his arms crossed. "Didn't he once get mad because he couldn't remember how to spell 'business'?"

Roxas frowned "I'd get annoyed, But I wouldn't get mad."

"I know, right?"

The bell rang, letting out to first hour. Roxas went up to the teachers desk and gathered the homework from the days he missed. The homework was always gathered and given to the homeroom teacher. After listening to the teacher lecture him about how reckless he was. He walked into the hall.

He had spent more time with the teacher than he thought. The hall was empty. Roxas hurried along, fearing he would be late when he was suddenly seized from behind and slammed into the lockers. Roxas bit back a cry of pain and glared at his assailant. Te he gasped.

"Axel!"

Axel was gazing emotionlessly at the smaller blonde. "Why do you keep avoiding me?"

Roxas stared at the floor. "I'm not avoiding you." Roxas mumbled out

"I can smell the baloney a mile away."

Roxas didn't answer.

"Is it about what happened this morning?"

Roxas grimaced, but didn't answer otherwise.

"If it is I'm sorry. I was getting a glass of water and you, were….um" Axel blushed a little. "You were just standing there. I didn't mean to walk in on you , um, mostly nude."

Roxas blinked. He didn't ask. Roxas was sure he was going to ask about the scars. But he didn't. Why?

Axel had released and stared at the floor he when began to stutter. Now he risked a glance at the blonde. Roxas was just staring dumbly at him.

"That's…..it?"

Now it was Axel's turn to blink. "Um….yeah?"

Roxas just didn't know how to respond. "O-Kay."

"So…Am I forgiven?"

"Sure."

"Kay."

Roxas walked down the hall with Axel awkwardly behind him. That went much better than Roxas had imagined.

"By the way, What were all those scars?"


	8. Chapter 8

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!! Mwah ha ha! Man. I've been sooooo busy. And I'm still gonna be busy! I've got finals in two weeks! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Ah well. i warn you, this one is sad. I almost cried when I wrote it. Anyway.

**Disclaimer**: The usual. I don't own nothing.

* * *

The moment the word 'scars' left Axel's mouth, Roxas stiffened like a rock. Heck, if he got any stiffer he would crack and break.

Axel hadn't noticed Roxas' reaction and walked past the blonde. When he didn't hear an answer, or even a second pair of footsteps, he turned around to check on the smaller blonde. No one was there.

Roxas had freaked.

He asked. He saw.

Roxas did the first instinctive thing that came to mind.

Get away. Get far away.

He soundlessly dashed into the nearest classroom. Thankfully it was an empty science room. Roxas ignored the red head calling his name and dashed to the cabinets in the back of the room. Roxas opened the cabinet and crawled in, closing the door behind him. It was a good thing he was small enough.

Axel opened the door to the room seconds after the cabinet door stilled. "Roxas? You in here?" Axel lingered a moment before closing the door and continuing his search for the little blonde.

Roxas heard the door close. He didn't crawl out of the cabinet. Roxas heard Axel calling his name. He didn't crawl out of the cabinet. Roxas heard Axel's voice and footsteps get farther and farther away until he could no longer hear the red head at all. He still didn't crawl out of the cabinet.

He just sat there with his knees drawn up to his chest. And he kept thinking over and over about things. Why did he freak? Why didn't he keep his cool like Sora said? Now Axel would definitely ask. Whatshouldhedo? Whatshouldhedo? Whatshouldhedo?

Roxas continued to sit there until the end of the class period. Before anyone that was in science period next could get into the classroom, the twin law prevailed. Sora opened the cabinet and pulled his brother out, being careful not to hurt him. Then he guided the unresponsive blonde through the halls to the library. Sora ignored the people whispering and asking questions and headed toward the reception desk. The slate haired boy Sora was seeking was not behind the desk. Sora decided to wait with Roxas for him behind the desk.

Sora on the floor hugging his twin close. Roxas had completely shut down. He just stared blankly into nothing. Sora rubbed his twin's shoulders' soothingly and whispered comforting words to the blonde. Tears silently slid down the brunette's cheeks. Hurry up Zexion.

It was halfway through second period when the slate haired boy finally showed. Zexion was carrying a stack of books to the desk to be registered. He dropped the pile onto the floor the moment he saw the twins behind his desk. He all but flew to them.

"What happened?" Zexion asked kneeling to their eye level.

Sora sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "I-I d-don't *sniff* Know! He-he went to c-class, or was g-going *sniff* And he was f-fine, b-but then he w-wasn't and I d-don't know why. I-I j-just found him like this *his*"

"Shhhh-shhhh-shhhhhh-shhhhhhhhhhhh." Zexion shushed. He gathered the twins in his arms and gently rocked them. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

The library was quiet aside from Sora's occasional sniffles.

Zexion suddenly stood and faced the bystanders intrigued by the sad scene.

"Everybody out."

"What?!" They all cried outraged. "Why?!"

"It's closed."

"You can't do that!" Someone shouted. "It's a public library!"

"Actually, it's private. Now get put vultures, or I might just call your parents and tell them the reason you all are failing is because you're making out behind the bookcases."

Wow. The library emptied fast.

Zexion carefully lifted Roxas off the floor and placed him on the library desk.

"Roxas?" The blonde's hand twitch, but that was the only indication Zexion got that showed the boy had heard him. "Sora have you asked him what's wrong?"

Sora sniffed and shook his head. "No." He stood next to his brother. "I was too afraid that he wouldn't answer me."

"Nonsense. You're probably the only person he would answer in this state. Ask him now. I'm going to call Cloud. Roxas can't stay at school like this."

Zexion picked up the phone on the library desk while Sora took Roxas' hands in his own. "Roxas?"

Roxas' hand twitched in response.

"Roxas it's Sora." Another twitch.

"What happened Roxas? Tell me what's wrong."

"…………………………"

"Roxas, please."

"………..he………"

"Roxas?"

"He…………….asked……………."

"Who asked?"

"……………Axel…………..He saw…………….He asked……………….He hates me…."

"Oh Roxas." Tears had begun to slide down the blonde's cheeks while he spoke. Sora pulled his twin into a warm embrace. He didn't need to ask anymore to know what Roxas meant.

And neither did Zexion. His grip on the phone tightened when he heard Axel's name. Someone would die tonight.

Cloud picked up after two rings. "Cloud Strife here."

"Cloud."

"Zexion? Is that you? Are you allowed to call during school?"

"Roxas shut down."

Cloud's voice turned serious. "When?"

"Looks like about an hour ago."

"Why?"

"Axel asked about his scars."

"I'll be there in two minutes."

Zexion hung up the phone. "Cloud plans on teleporting."

Sora sniffed and nodded. A minute and a half later Cloud soundlessly appeared in front of the library desk. No puff of smoke or anything. Just one second the space was empty and the next Cloud was there. Cloud rushed to his brothers. He knelt down in front of Roxas and looked him in the eyes. The tears had stopped flowing, but his eyes were still blank and unseeing.

"Has he said anything?" Cloud asked.

"Sora got him to say what's wrong, but that's it." Zexion answered. Sora moved closer to his twin and nodded in agreement.

Cloud nodded. "You were right to call me. Sora, go get Roxas' stuff. I'm going to take him to see Lulu. She has the best remedies."

Sora nodded once more and left. Cloud placed his hands on Roxas' shoulders. "Roxas, I know you can hear me somewhere in there and I need you to listen."*twitch* "I'm going to have Sora tell those three…..about us, and about Them." Tears begun sliding down Roxas cheeks again. "I'm sorry Roxas, but if you really care about what they think that much, and about what might happen to them, then we have to tell them." Cloud scooped Roxas up in his arms and hugged him tight. "I'm really sorry Roxas. I promise I won't let anything happen."

Sora returned with Roxas' pack. "I told the teachers that Roxas was leaving."

"Thanks." Cloud carefully shouldered the backpack. "and Sora, I need you to tell them…..Riku, Demyx, and Axel, about what happened, to us…..and about the Organization."

Sora paled. "E-Everything?"

"Not everything, just enough so that they get the idea."

Sora reluctantly nodded. "Okay. Bye Roxas. Bye Cloud."

Cloud nodded and vanished, just as the next period bell rang.

Sora was quiet. It wasn't going to be easy to explain what Roxas went through.

Zexion, on the other hand, was furious. The only thing going through his mind was: Axel was so dead.

Zexion spun on his heel and stormed out of the library, ignoring Sora calling for him. He strode the halls, scanning for that mop of cocky red hair. After searching three different halls, he found it, walking out of the science lab.

Axel spotted the slate haired boy and waved. "Hiya, Zexy!" He didn't have any idea what Zexion was planning. Not until it happened anyway. Zexion socked Axel in the face.

Axel stumbled back into the wall shocked. Demyx and Riku were by his side.

Sora had finally caught up to the librarian. "Zexion!"

"What the hell was that for?!" Axel yelled. His shock had dissolved into rage.

"What did I tell you?" Zexion shot coolly.

"What?" Riku asked. He didn't exactly like watching someone punch his best friend, even if he might have deserved it.

"The other day in the library. What did I tell you?"

Axel growled. "Not to use dictionaries to look up random words to keep me from getting bored?! How the hell-"

"About Roxas. What did I tell you about Roxas?"

Axel blinked stupidly and angrily. "What the hell does that have to do with-" Axel froze midsentence.

About Roxas.

Roxas was acting strange this morning.

Roxas went missing in the hall.

Roxas went missing after Axel asked about the scars.

Axel did something wrong.

Way to go Axel.

"Where's Roxas?" Axel asked quickly.

Zexion crossed his arms and glowered at the red head. "NOW you get it."

Axel ignored the slate haired boy's condescending glare. He took two steps, grabbed Zexion's collar and brought him up to his tattooed face. "Where. Is. Roxas."

Demyx and Riku were tugging on the red head. "Axel let him go!"

Zexion was the one to get Axel to let go. He gave the red head another sock in the face, and a knee in the stomach to boot. Axel dropped Zexion, fell to his knees and grabbed his stomach with one hand and his face with the other. Then Zexion leaned over and snatched Axel by the ear and forced him back into a standing position. "Oh dear, you don't look well Axel, you ought to see the nurse." Zexion then proceeded to guide Axel by the ear through the crowd that had gathered to watch and down the hall with Sora, Demyx, and Riku close behind.

When they arrived at the infirmary, Aerith was reorganizing her cabinets. She turned to the door when it opened. "Hello. What seems to be-Zexion! What are you doing?!" Zexion pulled Axel past Aerith and into the back room where the beds were.

"We need privacy." The slate haired boy said briskly as he pushed Axel onto a bed. He returned to the door when Sora, Riku, and Demyx were in the room. "Please make sure we are not disturbed."

When Zexion tried to close the door, Aerith held it open. "I cannot allow you to do that unless you give me a good reason."

Zexion scowled. Why was everyone being so difficult? He leaned forward and whispered something in her ear. Whatever he said changed her mind. The nurse's face softened and she nodded. "I understand." She turned around. "You won't be disturbed." And she closed the door.

Riku and Demyx were by now nearly as pissed as Axel. "Would you just tell us what the hell is going on?!" Demyx demanded.

"That's what we're doing." Sora said "Here" He had fetched some ice packs for packs for Axel. Sora held them out for Axel, who blinked stupidly at them.

"What?" Sora sighed and shoved the packs in his hands.

"That's what we're doing. We're telling you everything."

This time all three of them blinked stupidly. "Oh. Okay."

Sora took a seat next to Zexion on the bed opposite the newcomers. The chocolate brunette sighed heavily. Where to begin?

"Be sure not interrupt us." Zexion said. "Sora might not be able to start again if you do."

Sora nodded his agreement. There was an awkward silence, until Sora sighed again.

Then he began.

"We were born in GreenKreek. You probably haven't heard of it. It's a tiny little town halfway across the continent. It's the kind of town that wouldn't show up on a large map. Perfect for raising a family, but also perfect for a secret hideout. I'll get back to that in a minute.

"Cloud was born first, and our parents love him, until they learned he could do magic. They became apathetic towards that part of him. They loved that he was a child prodigy but they hated his magic, so they just ignored his magical talent.

Then Roxas and I came along. They had hoped, really _**really**_ hoped that we were normal. Needless to say, we weren't. In fact, we were just about as far from normal as you can get. We were and are the first twins in magical history to be born drawn to different magics. I was born to Glamour, and Roxas……………Roxas was born to Necromancy.

Being drawn to Necromancy, as you should know, is just about as rare as you can get. And people, humans and wizards, hate it. Our parents hated it more. They hated Roxas, more than anything. Roxas was born and empathy, he always knew what they were thinking. How they felt about him. I'll never truly know how it feels to feel your own parents hate for you, and neither will Cloud, but we did everything we could to help. We would make up excuses and such to get Roxas out of the same room, or even the same house as our parents.

"But being the only Necromancer in the area attracted a lot of attention from a certain group." Sora paused and swallowed. This was a painful topic full of painful memories. It was difficult to think of, much less speak of. Zexion took over.

"They call themselves Silent Whispers. I'm sure you've heard of them. They go around and manipulate wizards. Then, before the victims realize what's happening, they drain them and leave them to die. If the victims are lucky, the council finds them and replenishes their life energy."

Sora nodded and continued. "They sat their eyes on Roxas and approached our parents. Our parents sold Roxas to them. Literally. Every day they would drop Roxas at the group's hideout instead of school and every night when they picked him up, they would receive a check for 500 dollars."

"the group had the first intentions of draining Roxas, but when they discovered how young he was and how well he learned, they decided to use him instead. Forced him to join them. They trained him to be evil. They taught him to fight, and not with just magic. He learned to use various different weapons and styles of martial arts. He was treated mercilessly by the other members. Except for two. You've met them already. Luxord. And Zexion."

Riku shot off the bed to exclaim his shock but Zexion held up a hand. "He said not to interrupt." Riku frowned, but sat down again anyway.

"Thanks Z. It went on like that for years. When we were eight…….they…….they sent Roxas on his first mission, to drain and kill a powerful sorcerer and his family. They snuck in pretending that Roxas was a friend of one of their kids. Roxas was actually becoming friends with the boy when Silent Whispers made their move. They killed the kids first, right in front of Roxas. Then the servants. Then the wife. And lastly there was the husband. The held him, and they wanted Roxas to drain and kill him. Roxas wouldn't do it, he couldn't. And after that, everything that could go wrong did."One of the servants had lived and called the police. Using the sirens as a distraction, the man they were trying to drain blasted his captors away. Then he took Roxas hostage and tried to make it outside with him. He never even made it to the stairs. They gave up on draining the man and killed him on the spot. They took Roxas and hightailed it outta there.

"Things didn't let up from there. He…..Their leader……he wanted to punish Roxas………Show him his place……He wanted to show Roxas that he was nothing but a tool that had no right to exist, much less decide to not follow orders. He……well…..you saw the scars. The boss did most of those. Especially the big one. To make sure everyone knew Roxas shouldn't exist, so he marked him with an X.

"Roxas did the only thing he could do. He got out of there. He just ran away. He was injured though, and had no idea where he was going, plus it was storming that night. He collapsed on the side of a highway. That's where Leon found him. He took Roxas to a hospital and called us when Roxas woke up and told him who he was. Roxas had broken ribs, a leg fracture , and gashes that would leave scars all over. Roxas left on a Monday morning, but Cloud and I didn't get to see him again when he was admitted to the hospital two weeks later.

"It was then, in the hospital, Cloud, Roxas, and I vowed to always stay together and look out for each other. two years later Cloud turned eighteen and took custody of us with Leon.

"After that moved as far away from GreenKreek as we could at the time. Cloud and Leon adopted Namine, and we settled down for a normal life. Cloud even started moving up the ranks in the magic system. But that didn't stop the Whispers.

"They kept doing everything they could to get Roxas back. They burnt towns, destroyed businesses and possessed hundreds of people, just to get to my brother. I've lost count of how many times we've had to move. We finally got to the point where the Council was going to take Roxas away from us and put him under max security. Thankfully, Zexion and Luxord stepped forward.

"They hated what Silent Whispers had done to Roxas, so they offered to help protect him from them. And it's been working. They haven't guessed that they've been fed false information, so we've been able to live a fairly normal lifestyle.

"What happened to Roxas today was....He's scared. Everyone that he has tried to make close friends with him were either possessed or later tried to sell him. He's afraid you'll try to sell him. We all are. We normally wouldn't be telling anyone this. Not even Hayner, Pence, and Olette know. But....I guess.....we trust you....to help us."

Sora fell silent after that. The tears he had held back before ran freely down his cheeks now. He buried his face in his hands. "I-I......y-you have to help us. P-please! I-I can't l-lose Roxas! I-I-I-" The brunette was silenced by a warm embrace. Riku had moved next to Sora when he started crying. The silverette was hugging the crying boy and running his hand through his chocolate locks soothingly and whispered comforting words in his ear.

"Shhhh. It's okay. Everything's going to be fine Sora. Calm down."

Sora sobbed into Riku's shoulder. Zexion watched silently before examining the other two's reactions. Axel was shocked, thoroughly shocked. He was gazing blankly at the floor going over what he was just told in his head. Demyx had started crying too.

"H-how?" The Mohawk teen stuttered out. "H-how could anyone, ANYONE, do that?!"

"I don't try to fathom what goes through the minds of villains." Zexion said dryly.

B-but....I just don't understand!" Demyx cried angrily, fisting his hands in his hair.

"Roxas." Axel started. "Roxas thought we would sell him to these Whisper freaks?"

Sora pulled away from Riku and nodded while sniffing. "It's become a phobia for him. Every person he's told about this had tried to sell him. Or sometimes they were killed by them."

Axel paled more than he already had from the story.

"Part of him didn't want to be hurt by you, and part of him didn't want you to be hurt."

"But you already blew that." Zexion said flatly.

"We didn't know!" Riku protested.

"Then I guess it was wrong of me to assume that you would have been smart enough to figure it out."

"That's not fair!" Demyx cried.

"What about Roxas?" Axel interrupted. "Where is he?"

Zexion glared at the red head with both eyes. "Sora brought him to me after you talked to him. He completely shut himself off from anyone other than Sora or Cloud. Cloud took him to see Lulu, his mentor and the only person around with the best remedies that can bring him out of it."

"What about Sora and Cloud?" Demyx asked. "Can't they bring him out of it."

"Not quick enough to talk to anyone but us." Sora sniffed.

Axel stared at the ground deep in thought. The he stood abruptly. "May I see him?"

Everyone stared shocked at him. "Axel?!"

"I want to see him. I…." Axel turned his gaze back to the floor. "I want to help."

Zexion growled and stood up also. "Haven't you already done enough damage?"

"No Z." Everyone turned to Sora. He smiled at Axel. "We need him to help. We'll be fine."

Zexion looked back and forth between Axel and Sora. Finally he sighed. "Fine. But-!" He spun on Axel and pointed at him. "If you hurt Roxas in anyway, I will hurt you in the worst way. I still don't trust you." Zexion turned and was walking through the door when Axel responded.

"I could say the same thing Whisper boy!"

Zexion visibly bristled. Then left, slamming the door as he did. Demyx glared at Axel. "What?"

"Why the hell are you such a dick?"

"Hey! He's a member of them!"

"And he's been helping them!"

"But he could be a spy!"

"Don't you think he would've handed Roxas over by now if he was?!"

Axel couldn't think of a good retort. Demyx made a fair point. "Rrgh!" He growled running a frustrated hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll go apologize."

"No." Demyx said. "You go help Roxas. I'll stay here with Zexion. You can apologize later when he's cooled down."

Axel nodded. "Yeah…..better than my plan."

* * *

Sora, Riku, and Axel stood outside Lulu's shack in the graveyard. Riku and Axel were totally creeped out.

"This……is where Roxas learns Necromancy?" Axel asked.

"Yes."

"Well, it fits." Riku commented.

Sora walked up to the door and opened without knocking. "Cloud! Lulu!"

Axel and Riku glanced at each other before following Sora in.

Cloud, Lulu, and Leon were sitting at a plain old dining table in the middle in the room. "Sora?" Cloud questioned. When he saw Axel and Riku his face was expressionless. "You told them?"

Sora nodded. "They've come to make thing right."

Cloud nodded. Then he jerked his towards a door behind him. "He's in there. All you have to do is go talk to him. And Axel."

Axel straightened at his name. "Yes sir?"

Cloud stood and walked over to the red head. Cloud placed his hands on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "If you do any more damage than you have already have done I'll skin you alive and drop you into the sea with concrete shoes."

Axel gulped. He was sweating like a dog. How the hell can Cloud say that with such a straight face?! "Yes sir."

Cloud examined him for a moment, then nodded and stepped aside.

Axel glanced at Riku before he walked through the door.

The room only had a faint glow coming from outside. There were piles of books everywhere. Against the far wall was a bed with a gray comforter. Tucked neatly into the bed was Roxas.

Axel did nothing at first. He just stared at the blond boy. He wasn't sleeping. He couldn't be. At least, Axel didn't think that Roxas could sleep with his eyes open. Roxas was gazing unseeingly at the ceiling.

After a minute. Axel moved the pile of books on a chair to the floor and pulled the chair up next to the bed. Axel sat in it and sighed. "Hey Roxas……It….It's me." Axel scratched the back of his neck. This was kind if awkward. "Look…..uh…..Sora told us about….Your guys' past. And….uh…..I've never heard of Silent Whispers……and uhhh…Aw hell, I don't give a crap about them Roxas. All I know is that you're a kid that needs help…And I wanna help....and" Axel looked up at Roxas. There were three words in his head that he wanted to say. Just three words. But he wasn't ready to say them. Not yet.

Axel reached out and took Roxas hand, clasping it in both of his. "Roxas. I…I really like….As a friend…And I don't want to lose you. I'm not going to sell you out. And I'm not dying anytime soon either. So please…just…wake up."

Roxas made no movement. Axel sighed and pressed his forehead to Roxas' hand held in his. "God. I'm such an idiot."

There was an odd movement against his forehead. Must be sweat running down it. Then there was a rustling of blankets moving. Blankets moving?

Axel slowly lifted his head up. There was Roxas sitting up in bed and smiling at Axel. "I don't think you're an idiot."

* * *

The end. Forever. Naw I'm just Kidding. AWWWWWWWW!!!!! That is so sad and quite and I just wanna hit myself for writing it. Anyway. Hoped you liked it!


	9. Chapter 9

I'm Back! And I apologize in advance for how short this one turned out. I want to get this stories published before I went on Vacation where there would be no computer so I had to cut it off early because I spent all my time on my other story so please don't hate me.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters.**

* * *

"You think they're all right?"

Demyx and Zexion were sitting in the student library. It had been about an hour since the others had gone to see Roxas. Zexion had his nose buried in The Andromeda Strain when Demyx spoke.

"I'm not sure, but I may have just found the perfect way to dispose of Axel."

Demyx shot Zexion a glare. "For the last time, I'm not going to let you 'dispose' of Axel." Demyx crossed his arms and faced away from Zexion in a huff. A few seconds later he turned back to the slate haired boy. "Out of curiosity, what are you planning?"

"I'm thinking of squirting a tube of super glue down his throat, or somehow getting his blood to clot solid."

Demyx shivered. "You're gruesome."

"Whatever you say."

A few minutes crawled by. "Bu-lieve it o not I'm walkin awound and neveh though I would twick o twea-he-heeee!!!"

Zexion glared at the taller teen over the rim of his book. "What was that?"

"I'm bored and it's too quiet."

Zexion continued to glare at Demyx a moment, then sighed and went back to reading.

Five minutes went by when a loud crash was heard.

Zexion snapped his book shut in irritation. Couldn't that boy be quiet for ten minutes? He shot a viscous glare at Demyx.

The Mohawk haired teen had somehow managed to empty an entire shelf of books onto himself. Demyx was sitting on the floor, with the books piled on and around him. He was still holding a book with a wince on his face. "Uhhh….I'm sorry?"

Zexion growled and stood. "You had better be." He walked over and kneeled next to Demyx. "Do you know how long it's going to take to put these all back on the shelf in order?"

"A……While?"

Zexion sighed in a dejected way. This boy was impossible. "Never mind. Just help me stack these on the floor."

Demyx grinned childishly and nodded. He placed his book aside and began stacking the books in his lap.

Whilst Zexion was stacking, he observed the book titles.

Great Irish Recipes.

Cooking and You.

100 Ways to Cook Eggs.

Betsy Moss' Best Way to Cupcakes.

Fine Spices. 

Different Food Languages.

After the sixth book, Zexion's curiosity was piqued. "Alright, I'll bite. What could you possibly be looking for in the cooking section?"

Demyx looked up from his meticulous book stacking. Then he grinned wildly and reached for the book he set aside. "Well, I felt bad for everything that we…..uh…..kinda did to Roxas in this past few days, so I decided to make it up to him. Sooooo." Demyx held out the tome for the slated haired male to see. "I wanted to give him one of these!"

Zexion raised a slender brow as he read the book title: Cake for Every Occasion. He looked back at Demyx. The boy looked so very proud of his idea. Zexion couldn't help but feel cruel when he said. "Roxas doesn't eat cake."

Demyx's face fell. "Oh……..oh I see. I guess I knocked you books over for nothing then huh?" Demyx chuckled lightheartedly while scratching the back of his neck, but Zexion could detect the trace of disappointment in the taller teen's voice. Nice Zexion. Real nice.

Zexion and Demyx continued piling books in silence. Demyx had added the cake book to one of the piles. When they were finished he stood. "I guess I'll just go and-!" He was interrupted by the librarian shoving a book to his chest. He stumbled and juggled the book a bit before getting a good grip. "Wha?"

"If you want to give Roxas a food apology, then I suggest that book."

Demyx blinked and read the cover. Ice Cream's Best Dishes. Roxas likes ice cream?"

"Adores it."

Demyx grinned happily and hugged the book to his chest. "Thank you Zexy!"

Zexion turned away with a small, but satisfied smile on his face. "Don't call me Zexy. Leave the books. I'll get someone to put them away properly for extra credit or something." He headed back over to the desk.

Demyx saluted. "Yes sir!" The he strode forward, only to trip over his feet and fall onto Zexion.

The slated haired teen banged his head against the floor. He let out a pained moan. That really hurt. His vision was swimming in darkness. He laid there, waiting for it to come back to the light.

Demyx grunted and pushed himself up. "Ow." He muttered. He glanced down, and squeaked when he realized the positions they were in. Demyx was straddling Zexion, and had his heads on either side of the slated haired boy's head. This was the most awkward of awkward things Demyx had ever been involved in. What made it worse, Zexion was staring at him with lidded eyes.

Demyx had thought the librarian was hot when he first saw him, but right now……Oh God, right now was just too much for words. Demyx couldn't resist. Demyx leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against Zexion's.

Zexion's eyes widened when he felt Demyx's lips on his own. It was…….unexpected, to say the very, _**very**_, least. His thoughts were all muddled inside his mind. He couldn't string a proper sentence. Word like 'What' and 'Why' were the first to surface. And finally a sentence did come along. It said: _**Kiss him back.**_

Zexion slid his eyes shut and leaned into the kiss. Demyx followed suit. The experience was pure bliss. The two boys were content, just lying there kissing.

But Demyx pulled back for air. The two boys studied each other. The both had a fine pink dust covering their cheeks. What they had just done had not been what either of them had been expecting to do when they woke up. Hell that was the story of their entire day so far. Including what happened next.

The library door creaked open. Both boys turned their head to the noise.

Sweet little Namine was standing in the doorway. Her face turned bright red when she saw the boys. Likewise, the boys turned bright red when they saw Namine.

"Uhh…..Am I interrupting something? And if I am, will someone tell me about it later?"

Demyx pushed off the ground and stood fidgeting. What should he say? If he told the truth Zexion might get offended. And if he covered it up, he might give him the wrong idea. Ohhhhh….What should he do?

Zexion got over the blushing rather quickly. He stood and fixed his collar with an emotionless face.

"So am I interrupting?"

Zexion blankly at her, then he suddenly switched to a mysterious smile. "I _**am.**_"

"Believe what you want." Zexion said simply. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh!" The realization of she was there hit her like a hammer to the head. "I totally forgot! Roxas is awake!"

Zexion's eyes widened as Demyx clapped his hands together happily. "Hooray!"

Namine nodded. "Yeah. Axel woke him up, but…."

Zexion crossed his arms. "But?"

The small girl fiddled with her hands. "….I don't know the entire story, but this is what Cloud told me what happened.

~~~~~~~~FlashBack Thingie~~~~~~~~

Axel stared at Roxas in shock.

He woke up.

Axel blinked when he realized the blond had said something to him. "Uhhh…….You don't?"

Roxas smiled and kicked off his blankets. "Not an idiot anyway. Maybe a moron or an imbecile. But not an idiot."

Axel felt his face twitch. "Wasn't I supposed to be the mood killer?"

Roxas shrugged and pushed himself out of bed. "Consider it payback, moron."

Right. Axel lowered his head. "I know…….I'm so sorry Roxas. I-"

"You can shut up now."

Axel lifted his head to look at Roxas. The blond was at the door with his back to Axel. "Wha-?"

"Sora told you about………"

Axel got the idea. "Yeah."

"Then you know……It wasn't your fault……and……Well…..I dunno. I guess I just feel safe around you."

Axel blinked. Roxas felt safe around him. That was…….kind of embarrassing, but also inspiring. The red head stood and strode over to ignored the blonde's cold skin and hugged him close. The smaller boy stiffened when he was unexpectedly hugged from behind. Axel leaned down and whispered to the blond. "There is nothing in this world, or any other that I won't protect you from."

Roxas' skin broke out in goose bumps. He was warm. Very warm. And not just because Axel was hugging him. What was this feeling? Axel's emotions were rushing into him. Relief. Guilt. Joy. And an overwhelming need to protect. There was one more. One that Axel was doing his best to guard. Roxas was feeling strange. His heartbeat was speeding up. His stomach was doing flip flops. It was almost like when he saw Axel shirtless this morning. Was this……Could this be……Did Roxas like Axel?

The answer would have to coma another day. Cloud just opened the door.

~~~~~~~~End FlashBack Thingie~~~~~~~~

Demyx looked at Namine expectantly. "That's it?"

Namine twiddled her thumbs. "No, that's just the Cloud LeonHeart director's cut, leaving out all the gory details."

Demyx paled. "Please tell me Axel's alive."

Namine giggled. "Don't worry. He's alive. Just really shell shocked. Cloud's protective of Roxas in many senses."

Zexion nodded, almost in an approving way. "Where are they now?"

"On their way home. They'll be there any minute now. Shall we go meet the?"

Demyx nodded vigorously. "I wanna see Roxie!" He was about top rush out the door when he remembered something. He held up the ice cream book Zexion gave him. "I don't have a library card, what should I do?"

The slated haired boy waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."

Demyx beamed brightly. "Thanks Zexy!" Then he dashed out of the room.

Namine approached Zexion while eyeing the piles of books on the floor. "So……What were you two really doing in here?"

"Nothing you need to know." Zexion said coolly.

Namine pursed her lips in a pout. "Aww….Please tell me?" She put her hands together. "Pretty Please?"

Zexion gave a small smile. "Let's just say we were reading about sugar."

And he left it at that.

* * *

The threesome got to the LeonHeart household quicker than expected, but the other group was already there……sort of. Leon was the only one in sight, when the three came in.

Namine glanced about when they walked in. "Where is everyone?"

Leon was lounging on the couch reading a book. He looked up from it when the trio came in. He sighed at Namine's question.

"Well" he began counting off with his fingers. "Roxas is lying embarrassed in his room. Sora's comforting him. Axel's lying embarrassed in the guest room. Riku's comforting him. And Cloud's fuming in our room."

Zexion frowned. "It was that bad"

Leon thought for a moment, then shrugged. "From Cloud's view."

Zexion made his way up the stairs. "I'm going to check on Roxas."

Demyx scratched the back of his neck after he watched Zexion walk out of sight. "Okay. Thin I guess I should go check on Riku and Axel." He walked off down the hall.

When Namine and Leon heard the doors open and close, the brunette looked at his daughter with raised brows. "Is it just me, or do Demyx and Zexion seem…….cozier?"

Namine puffed out her cheeks in a pout. "What makes you think that you're young enough to be listening to crushing gossip?"

Leon frowned. "I'm not that old!"

Namine huff as she moved up the stairs. "Well you certainly aren't young enough! Go calm Cloud down so we can pack. WE have to leave tomorrow."

Leon blinked. "Tomorrow? Oh, right. The tournament." He sighed and stood. "Fine. I'll go have a talk with Cloud."

The night passed. Zexion went back to his hotel and everyone got a well night's rest. The next day they board the chater bus in an awkward fashion. The seating went like this: The furthermost back seat on the left had Roxas and Sora, on the right were Demyx and Zexion. Then in front of Roxas and Sora was Cloud and Leon, and Reno and Rude in front of Demyx and Zexion. Then Axel and Riku with Namine and Luxord, the man that owned the condo with Zexion. There were more people on the bus, like Aerith and Cid and their students, but their seating arrangements didn't include a still fuming Cloud glaring at the back of a heavily sweating Axel's head.

Roxas sighed tiredly. They had gotten up at 5:45 to catch the bus and it was a six hour drive to the Coliseum. He grabbed the connector letting his brother and him listen to the same ipod with different headphones and turned his volume up. It was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Pkay. I'm tired cause I woke up at 5:25 this morning and it's going on midnight now, but I really need your feedback on this chapter. This was my first Fanfiction kiss. Ever. I didn't really expect it to be Zemyx, but it was, and I want to know what you think. Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

I LIVE!!! Okay, first of all I apologize for how long this took. I actually finished this chapter weeks ago, I just didn't publish it because I try to update my tow KH stories as close together as possible, so I waited until I finished that chapter the other night. I kinda made up for being lat because this is a really long chapter. So please forgive me and please enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Heart or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Welcome to the Olympus Coliseum. We thank you for coming today. Would the contestants and their instructors please report to their designated gates so that we may sign everyone in."

//_Yeah, well I already have.//_ Roxas thought bitterly.

They had reached the Coliseum an hour ago at lunchtime. Getting off the bus was not fun. Cloud wouldn't leave Roxas' side, all the while glaring at poor Axel. He wasn't letting the red head any where near Roxas.

Leon, Rude, and Reno went to go check the group into the hotel. The tournament didn't take only one day, oh no. It would last the whole weekend, and possibly longer, depending on the matches.

And the part of all, because he was possessed and therefore not liable for his actions, Seifer was allowed to take part.

The group split up and headed different ways, Aerith and her Glamour students, Cid and his Alchemy students, Cloud and his Sorcery students, and Lulu and her Necromancy students.

Roxas, Fuu, and Lulu traveled downstairs to the locker rooms. Each magic group had to wear certain outfits. And by outfits I mean a plain old colored T-shirt. Sorcery's was red, Alchemy's was yellow, Glamour's was green, and Necromancy's was blue.

All the students shared locker rooms. There was of course separate male and female locker rooms with changing stalls, showers, and surprisingly, lockers.

Roxas and Fuu entered their respective rooms while Lulu waited outside. Roxas had his own locker, as did all the registered magical students. They had them for whatever events were held at the coliseum, such as tournaments.

All that was inside the unused locker was two towels and an extra pair of clothes.. You could never know what might happen in these tournaments. Sometimes they weren't even about magic. Sometimes they were actual fighting tournaments that even mortals were invited to.

Roxas dropped the duffle bag he brought on an nearby bench and unzipped it. Inside was anther set of clothes to change into, a water bottle, and what would appear to be a bag full of rocks. In reality, they were special minerals.

The minerals give off unusual vibes that can enhance or diminish the performance of magic. Different minerals can help different aspects. The tournament coordinators allowed a limit of four per student in battle. The students like to arrange the mineral combinations in their own styles. Although there are some that have adverse effects. Some are even illegal.

They come in four types: Shards, Stones, Gems, and crystals. Each give off a different level of vibe and each are more rare than the first, in the order listed. (See notes at end for more details.)

Roxas proceeded to change. He stripped off his shirt and pants. In their stead he pulled on a white beater, and a pair of jean cutoffs that reached a few inches above the knee. He liked mobility during fights. Over the beater he pulled on a light blue T-shirt. On the front was a black N and on the back was a black crescent moon, the Necromancy symbol. Over his hands he wore black fingerless gloves. Then Roxas got his minerals. He had a Frost gem, a Lucid stone, a Twilight stone, and a Serenity shard. Crystals were too hard to come by, he was lucky to even have a gem. All of his minerals were mounted on a chain he wore as a necklace.

Once he was done changing Roxas left the locker room and met Fuu and Lulu outside. Fuu had changed into a shirt identical to Roxas' and a pair of workout pants. She liked mobility too.

Most of the other students were either at the shop buying last minute minerals for the figh, or training. Lulu's students take a different approach. They meditated. There was a room just down the hall used as a SemiRec/Waiting room for competitors. It had couches, a TV, a pool table, and even a minifridge. The competitors had to wit in this room if they weren't in the ring, locker room, or infirmary. They could watch the matches on the TV.

Roxas and Fuu came in a sat next to each other on one couch while their teacher sat across from them on the couch opposite them. "I realize we have not had very much time to train, but you are still some of the very best. For now, all we can do is meditate. Now close your eyes."

The two did so. They sat cross legged on the couch with their hands on their knees.

"Clear your minds and focus only on the task ahead."

Roxas did, as much as he could anyway, but other little thoughts kept flitting through. Things about Cloud and Sora and Axel. But mostly Axel. Things like: Was Cloud still mad at Axel? Where was Axel right now? Why in blue blazes can't I stop thinking about Axel?

Roxas shook his head. No! He had to concentrate. He took a deep breath, and exhaled. Concentrate. Must Concentrate. Empty the mind. Relax and let everything out.

_//Heh heh heh.//_

Roxas snapped his eyes open and searched the room frantically. Fuu and Lulu were both meditating with their eyes closed. No one else. Roxas hesitantly closed his eyes once more. He must have imagined it.

_//That's what you think rookie.//_

Roxas flinched. He wasn't imagining it. And what's worse, Roxas recognized the voice, and it sure as hell wasn't Zexion's.

_//Haven't we taught you anything rookie?//_

No. Roxas started shaking. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening. Roxas couldn't open his eyes. He wouldn't He was too afraid of what he might see. Every dread and fear he had ever lived through was coming back to him ten-fold.

_//Never leave your mind empty and open.//_

No. Stop it. Everything was getting fuzzy. Roxas put his head in his hands. Stop it! Please…..stop Xigbar.

_//Just go to sleep rookie. Just go to sleep.//_

The room started spinning rapidly and wildly. Up was down. Right was left. Pink was green. It was all too much for the blond. He slumped back on the couch, letting the darkness take him.

* * *

Sora was in the mineral and charm store. Charms weren't allowed in the tournament, but minerals were. Sora had forgotten one. It wasn't very important or valuable, but it always gave Sora an unthinkable advantage in a fight.

Sora was examining some blazing shards when he heard a familiar voice. "I thought you were under Glamour."

The brunette turned to look at his silverette house guest. "Oh I am. But this, is my secret weapon."

Riku looked skeptically at the younger boy. "That, is your secret weapon?" Blazing minerals were normally used by those under Sorcery.

"Yep!" Sora took his selected shard to the register. Riku was right behind him.

"_**How**_ is that your secret weapon?"

"Uhh-Uhh-Uhhhhh." Sora responded, waving his index finger with each syllable. "If I told you it wouldn't be a secret."

"True, but secrets are meant to be shared."

Sora snickered as he walked out of the store with his purchase and Riku. "You know what they say. The only way to keep a secret with three people is if the other two are dead."

"You know that doesn't really apply in the magic world. What with all the ghosts talking to magicians these days."

Sora stopped in his tracks.

"Never thought of it that way."

Riku chuckled and patted Sora's back. "Yeah, well, it's okay. Most of the people that saying really pertains to aren't from our world."

Sora cocked his head to the side as they started walking again. "How does that change anything? The ghost could tell a magician who could tell someone important to the ghost!"

Riku blinked, then sighed. "Never mind. You're complicating it too much."

"Uh. Okay."

They walked in silence, until Riku blurted out. "Do you want to-"

"No." Sora interrupted flatly.

"You didn't let me finish."

"I'm not going to talk to Cloud about Axel."

"Okay, so you don't need to let me finish. But why not?"

"He probably won't listen to me anyway. 'You're too young to understand. I'm doing what's best for him.' Blah, blah, blah."

"Ah. I get it."

"Doesn't matter to me though."

Riku rose a brow. Doesn't it?"

Sora smiled "Nope." He stood on his toes and landed a peck on the older boys cheek. "Roxas and Axel belong together like you and I do."

Riku blushed and ruffled Sora's chocolate spikes. "I thought you wanted to keep that secret."

"I don't see anyone around, do you?"

Riku smiled. "Guess not." He leaned down and placed his lips on Sora's, wrapping his hands around the younger boys waist. Sora wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, deepening the kiss. A door opened somewhere in the hall. They pulled back lightly and stepped away from blushing. Whoever it was, they were much too faraway.

"I guess we should go get changed now." Riku said.

Sora nodded. "Yeah I-"

_//Must be imagining things.//_

Sora froze midsentence. As much as that sounded like his brother was teasing him, Roxas knew he could only hear the boy through his head under two conditions, one: if they were locking eyes, and two: if one was feeling immense pain or fear. Riku frowned. "Sora? What's wrong?"

Sora put his hand to his head. "I think it's Roxas. Something's-"

_//No. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can not be happening.//_

Sora snapped his head up. "Roxas."

Riku put his hand on Sora's shoulder, concerned. "What's wrong with Roxas?"

_//No. Stop it.//_

Sora took off running down the hall. Riku was surprised at the boy's sudden actions. He took off after the brunette. "Sora!"

_//Stop it! Pleas….stop Xigbar.//_

"Roxas needs me!" All Sora focused on was finding his younger brother. Down the hall, round the corner. Sora skidded to a stop in front of the rec room. Roxas was in there. He banged the door open, eyes frantically searching for the blond. There1 On the couch.

Fuu had noticed the boy's odd shifting on the couch. She had gotten Lulu. The instructor was checking her pupil's temperature while Fuu watched. They both looked at Sora when he loudly entered. "Roxas, what's wrong with Roxas?"

"Nothing much." Lulu replied. "He just has a slight fever. He fell asleep during meditation."

Sora rushed to his brother's side. "But…I heard him. He was in trouble."

"It must have been a nightmare induced by the fever."

"Sure…" Sora wasn't convinced. Roxas had said _Xigbar._ That was one of the members of Silent Whispers.

Riku came in, panting from running after the chocolate haired boy. "Uhh…Can you two find Cloud please? He'll want to know about this."

Lulu nodded. "Of course." She stood and walked out the door past Riku. Fuu followed.

Once the other two Necromancers were gone, Sora moved himself on the couch next to his twin. Riku watched with concern. There was no way Sora was just going to sit patiently. "Sora?"

"Tell me if someone's coming. I'm going to find Roxas."

"You're going into _his mind?! _Do you know how dangerous that is for amateurs?!"

Sora placed his forehead against his blond twins'. It was abnormally warm he noted. "We're _**twins **_Riku. And this isn't my first time."

The silverette looked skeptical. "But-"

"Just do it." Sora closed his eyes and let his mind slowly meld with his brother's. The room began fading into darkness. Soon everything was pitch black. Roxas was no longer in Sora's hands. Sora opened his eyes as a new scene came into focus.

It was a hall. Just a simple hall that led to only one door at the end. And that was where Sora went. He passed the door without a second thought. The inside was, chaotic.

The room was divided in two halves. One was pure white. White bed, white floor, white toys scattered about. The other side was dark. The walls and floor were made of wet brown stone, like the inside of a dungeon. There was nothing really significant about the darker side other then the far wall. It wasn't a wall. It was a set of prison bars. The other side of ther bars was pitch black. Nothing could be seen.

Roxas was there. He sat on the bed against the white wall, knees drawn up to his chest. He didn't even acknowledge that Sora had entered the room.

Sora approached the bed. "Roxas?"

The blonde's eyes never left the prison bars. "Yeah Sora?"

Sora took a seat next to Roxas on the bed. He stared at the bars like his brother. "I thought we fixed this." He stated, referring to the dark side of the room.

Roxas bit the inside of his lip. "We did." He replied nervously. He shifted a bit, giving Sora a quick side-long glance. "But they unfixed it." He looked back at the bars. "They're here Sora. At the Coliseum. They're watching."

Sora examined his brother closely. "You sure?"

Roxas nodded. "They were speaking to me."

"Xigbar?"

"Yeah. I know I'm asleep, but I was awake when he was. He put me to sleep."

"Hate to say it Rox, but no one's going to listen." The twins looked up. Their elder brother was standing in the doorway Sora came through.

"Why not?"

Cloud sighed. He squeezed himself a seat in between his younger brothers and wrapped his arms around them, hugging them close. "You have a fever Rox. Anyone will argue that whatever you heard was fever induced."

Roxas buried his face in his brother's shoulder. He was trembling badly. "It wasn't." The blond mumbled.

Cloud rubbed his youngest brother's shoulder comfortingly. "I know Rox. I know."

The brother's sat there in silence. Then Sora randomly commented. "I thought I told Riku to let me know if anyone was coming."

Cloud chuckled. "I guess you could say I didn't let him."

Sora looked at Cloud alarmed. "You didn't hurt him did you?"

"Of course I didn't. I just came in and told him to let me handle it."

"Oh, Okay."

Cloud sighed and pulled his brother's up. "we should wake up now. If we stay like this for too long we'll cause a stir of panic." Roxas looked at the bars fearfully. Cloud saw this. "Don't worry Rox, I'll make sure someone trustworthy is with you at all times. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Roxas nodded hesitantly. "Okay." Now time to wake up." Cloud placed each hand on one of his brothers' head.

The room began to blur once more. Roxas' lids fluttered open. He was staring straight into his twin brother's eyes. Their foreheads were still pressed together. Cloud was still standing over them with his hands on their heads.

Cloud opened his eyes and smiled. "Morning sunshines."

Sora and Roxas pulled away from each other and smiled back at his older brother.

"Awww…." The three whipped their heads to the door. Axel was leaning against the door, which was being banged on. Riku's shouts from the other side were audible. "That's just about the cutest from of incest I've ever seen."

Axel had just taken back his job as moment ruiner.

Cloud gave the red head a sickeningly sweet smile before saying. "I'm going to kill you."

"Up. That's my cue." Axel yanked the door open and blasted past Riku in the hall. Cloud left after him and shouting.

Riku shook his head as he walked into the room. "This is just a wild guess, but I think he's over sulking about Cloud's protectiveness."

Sora grinned "That really is wild." His gaze softened as he and Riku locked eyes.

Roxas on the other hand, rolled his eyes. "Would you two love birds get a room."

Riku's eyes widened while Sora squeaked. "Wha-huh-bu-How-Whan-"

Roxas placed a hand over his twins mouth to silence his twins incoherent babbling. "I'm your twin, I notice these things. I've known since you two started. I haven't told Cloud. Am I leaving anything out?"

Sora blushed and pouted. "No fair. You had your empathy to help."

Roxas shrugged. "It's not my fault you tow feel for each other in the same room."

This time both Sora and Riku blushed. "You didn't have to put it like that!"

"Why? No one's here to hear."

Sora rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed. "Yeah, but you still didn't need to put it like that."

"Who put what like what?" The magnificent Axel has returned.

"None of your business." Riku said flatly.

Axel rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yeesh. Why are you so grumpy?"

Riku glared at the red head. "Gee, I dunno. Maybe because you tricked me and locked me out in the hall? Ring any bells?"

"Uh, the door has no lock, so technically I didn't lock you out?"

Riku crossed his arms and glowered at his red haired friend.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! Alright?"

"No you're not." Roxas said boredly.

"What makes you say that?"

"When you say 'sorry' that means you'll never do whatever you did again."

Riku chuckled. "Then he's definitely not sorry."

"Roxas stood and wobbled a bit. "Well I've had enough idiocy for one day. I'm gonna wait by the drawing box."

Sora watched his brother's slight swayed way of walking. "You gonna be okay Rox?"

Axel quirked a brow up. "Why wouldn't blondie be okay?" He stood blocking the doorway.

"Because I'm sick and I'm gonna barf on your shoes if you don't _**move**_." Axel jumped aside. Roxas took his chance to walk out of the room and down the hall before the red head could realize that he was bluffing.

Which brings us back to the present where Roxas was standing irritably in a large room with a table and a white board in the middle. On the table was a small box with a hole in it large enough for an arm to fit in it. The was a sort of an upside down tree diagram on the black board. The room had slowly filled. Seifer and his group, which Fuu had once more joined were there. Then there were the three Senior girls, or the Gullwings as they call themselves. They're always on the lookout for jobs to make money. Kairi, Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie all stood together. Hayner, Pence, and Olette stood by the twins, while Axel, Demyx, and Riku stood together not too far off from them. There were eighteen kids participating in the tournament in all. Namine wasn't in the eighteen. She didn't like fighting.

They had a system to pick the order of the fighting. The box in the center of the room was full of folded slips of paper with numbers on them. They pair up the numbers for the matches.

They were calling out the names for the drawing now.

"Yuna." The brunette senior with mismatched eyes stepped forward. "Here." She stuck her hand in the box and pulled out a slip of paper. "I got number six."

The MC guy recorded it on the white board.

As Yuna walked back to here place with the Gullwings, the MC called out the next name. "Seifer."

The blond came forward and haughtily pulled a slip of paper out of the box. "Number eleven."

The MC quickly wrote it down. As Seifer passed the twins one his way back to his friends he sneered. "Pray you don't get twelve losers."

Roxas subtly flipped the blond off as the MC called out the next name. "Olette."

The green eyed brunette daintily retrieved a slip. "Sixteen."

The red head pulled out two slips. "Oops. Sorry man." Wakka put the papers back and selected a third, different one. "I got three."

"Roxas." The blond hesitantly stuck his hand in the box. He was secretly wishing for any number but twelve. He didn't need to face Seifer first thing. He slowly pulled out a paper and read it aloud. "Number eight."

"Sora."

The brunette twin came forward. He squeezed his eyes shut and dove his hand into the box whispering. "Please not seven. Please not seven. Oh please, _please_ not seven." Going up against his twin round one was not what he wanted. He peeked open one eye to read the paper he pulled out. "Yes! He cried pumping his fist. "Thirteen."

"Paine."

The seeming gothic red eyed Gullwing came forward and boredly pulled out a slip of paper. "Eighteen." Was all she said as she tossed the paper at the MC while walking back to the Gullwings.

"Um, yes. Hayner."

The blond proudly came forward. Unlike Roxas, he wanted twelve. He had plans to deliver Seifer a nice can of ass whopping during the first round. He frowned when he saw his paper. "Number five."

The MC nodded. "That puts you up against Miss Yuna." Hayner scowled. He didn't want to fight a chick. H wanted to fight Seifer! Or at least a guy! He crumpled his slip up and drop-kicked it across the room.

"Hayner!" Olette scolded.

The MC inwardly sighed. Why did all the tough kids act like immature brats when they didn't get what they wanted? "Next is Fuu."

The silver hair girl came forward and pulled her paper out. "Ten." Then she went back to her place next to Seifer and Rai. She did everything briskly.

"Axel."

The red head strode pridefully up to the box and snatched a slip of paper. He grinned as he read it aloud. "Number fifteen."

"That puts you up against Miss Olette."

Olette smiled nervously as Axel walked back to Riku and Demyx. "Please go easy on me."

Axel smirked mischievously at the girl. "Notta chance."

"Rai."

The large teen came forward in a clumsy fashion. He nearly knocked the box over when his big hands pulled out his slip of paper. "I got two, ya know?"

"Um, yes. Riku."

"Which one?"

"The one with one K."

The silverette pulled a paper out of the box. Shock crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced with a form of nervous excitement. "And the plot thickens."

Axel rose a brow. "What the hell's that supposed to mean? What's your number?"

Riku held it up for all to see. "Number seven."

"That puts you up against Roxas." The MC said as he wrote it down.

Roxas blinked while Demyx and his brother gasped. Axel just whistled. "Now there's a fight I'd pay to see."

Riku walked back over to the group. "Well aren't you lucky then, not having to pay for it."

"Rikku."

"He just went." Demyx said.

"The one with two Ks."

"Oh."

The blond Gullwing with the large ponytail bounced over to the box. "Yay! My turn." She fished her hand around through the remaining papers until she decided on one. "Fourteen."

"That puts you up against Sora."

She grinned mischievously at the brunette twin. "I'm gonna trounce you!"

Sora stuck his tongue out at her childishly. "Just you try it."

"Yes, well. Tidus."

The blond boy came forward . He pulled out a slip and frowned "This sucks! I'm against Wakka!"

"Which means you got four," The MC commented. "Thank you. Kairi."

Namine's red headed friend came forward and daintily pulled out a slip. "Nine."

That puts you up against Miss Fuu. Pence."

The black haired boy came forward and pulled out a slip nearly as clumsily as Rai did. "I got twelve."

"Ha!" Seifer yelled. "You're dead fatty!"

"Shut up Seifer!" Hayner shouted. "You're gonna get your ass whupped! Just you wait!"

The MC gave a small cough. "Yes, well. Selphie."

The brunette girl came up and took a slip out in the same fashion that Kairi did. "Number Seventeen."

"That puts you up against Miss Paine." The MC wrote it down and stepped back to examine the board. "Which leaves Demyx as number one against Rai." The man quickly wrote that down too.

Roxas surveyed the lineup. One thing could certainly be said about this tournament. The first round would be anything but boring.

* * *

For those that didn't put the lineup together, I did for you, and before you review about it, I did chose these all randomly. I put all the name into a box and pulled them out one by one to determine who went when.

1. Demyx vs. Rai

2. Wakka vs. Tidus

3. Hayner vs. Yuna

4. Riku vs. Roxas

5. Kairi vs. Fuu

6. Seifer vs. Pence

7. Sora vs. Rikku

8. Axel vs. Olette

9. Selphie vs. Paine

Have fun betting who will win. An here's the list of the minerals and powers like I promised. I got these all out of the back of the KHII guide book.

Blazing- Preferred by Sorcery- adds more heat and fire power to the magic.

Frost- Preferred by Necromancy-cools down the user and magic.

Lightning- Preferred by Alchemists- Adds static electricity into the magic.

Bright- Preferred by Glamourists- imbues magic with light.

Twighlight- Boosts a summoned creature's power.

Mythril- Materials the wands are made of, conducts magic well.

Energy- Boosts stamina

Serenity- Calms down and clears the mind.

Power- Boosts power.

Lucid- Increases time a summoned creature can stay, weighs down the magician's body though.

Orichalchum- generates its own magical force. Used to keep rune gates powered from afar.

Dark- Illegal- Forces power to the peak, drastically drains lifeforce.

Dense- Illegal- scrambles the brain's activities, very much like being drugged. Often mistaken for Lucid.


	11. Chapter 11

I live! I'm sooooo sorry for how late this is! I meant for this to be up weeks ago. But I lost track of time, procrastinated and went to camp. And school has just started. we jumped right in like summer never happened. Oh well. This is a little short too, but mostly because my other one was so long. But thanks for reading anyway! Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.**

* * *

Ever been to an important competition or event where you know that if you make one mistake you'll lose or ruin everything? That was how Demyx was feeling.

He was first up in the fight. No pressure at all. (Note the sarcasm.)

Demyx was standing on the edge of the ring. The entire ring was a raised marble platform that was about 90x90 yards. Around it was about an eight yard space to the walls. The walls rose up about 12ft until they gave away to the stands. The stands were able to house about 200, but they could be bewitched to hold more. Like he said, no pressure.

Demyx took a deep breath, then started up the stone steps. The moment he reached the top of the platform the steps disappeared. He briefly glanced back at them before looking ahead. Rai stood on the other side of the ring, cracking his knuckles and grinning.

"How I wish I could be the one to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face." Hayner muttered.

The other fourteen contestants were watching through the TV in the rec room. Axel, Riku, Sora, and Hayner were piled together on one couch. Paine, Yuna, Olette and Selphie were piled on the second with Kairi and Rikku sitting on the arms. Pence, Wakka, and Tidus were on the last couch. Seifer sat on the covered pool table. And Fuu sat at the table with Roxas as they played a game of chess, occasionally giving the TV a glance.

"So eager to get yours." Yuna teased.

Hayner snorted. "I'm not gonna get mine. You might get yours though."

"Don't you wish."

"Laaaaaaaaaaadies and gentlemen!" Rang out through the entire stadium. "Welcome to the Olympus Coliseum magical youth tournament! We have a large batch of contestants this year! To start off we have Demyx versus Rai! The victory conditions are to either knock your opponent from the ring or to destroy every gate rune they create! Contestants are you ready?"

Demyx drew a light blew wand from his pocket. Rai drew an orange one. They both raised their wands high above their heads, the ready signal.

"Alright-y then! Ready…..Dual!"

In the magical world, they learn all their runes and incantations from large tomes called Grimoires. It used to be that Grimoires were carried into battles, but more and more magicians were beginning to memorize Grimoires, making carrying them obsolete.

Demyx's first move was to summon a rune gate. A green astral wand with a star tip appeared in the air near him. In spun around in a full circle before dropping into a rune gate. It was a large green rotating circle with intricate runes and designs. The image of figures holding hands and dancing hung above the circle. It was the Glamour rune called Fairy Ring.

Demyx could see that Rai was doing something similar across the arena, only the ring was orange and an odd tube contraption hung over it, the Alchemy rune Laboratory.

Demyx had to be quick. The beginning of duals always depended on strategy. A rune was summoned, then the magician had to chose either to summon a familiar, another rune, or upgrade the already summoned rune. It was sometimes dangerous to choose.

Leveling up the rune was what Demyx decided on. He needed some Fairies to fight, his current rune was too weak to summon them.

Rai had chosen a slightly different approach. He immediately summoned a gamiliar. Out of his rune came a small green goop with beady eyes. A Blob, the weakest of Alchemy familiars, but the easiest to summon. But it had an annoying special attack.

_//Time to multi-task.// _Demyx thought grimly. He begun drawing a second rune while waiting for his first to finish upgrading.

Rai wasted no time in sending his Blob to attack Demyx. The green goop came barreling at the teen. The Glamourist dodge rolled the green Blob.

His rune was done upgrading! He waved his wand. Out of his rune came three blond miniature woman with wings and bows, Fairies. The Blob leaped at Demyx during the brief opening when he was summoning. It hit him in the chest and exploded on impact. Demyx was coated in the green goop. "Ewwwww." He squelched.

Rai's laughing brought him back to attention. "Ha! I got you good yo!"

Demyx rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah. Covering me with slime. You sure did get me." When Demyx saw the other side of the arena though he swore. Rai had summoned a second rune gate. This one had a set of old fashion scales teetering over the orange ring, the Engrave rune.

Time to step it up a notch. Demyx set about upgrading the rune he just summoned, an image of deer frolicking hovered over it, the Wicca rune. He had only fifteen minutes before his Fairies left him, he needed to get another familiar out on the field before then, and quick!

Rai was summoning another familiar from his Laboratory rune. What appeared to be a light bulb with eyes and feet walked out, a Homunculus. It bowed to Rai. The tan teen grinned and pointed at Demyx. "Go blind him yo!"

Crap. Demyx gritted his teeth and pointed at the oncoming familiar. "Stop that Homunculus!" He ordered the Fairies.

The women flew forward, bows at the ready. They begun firing at the Homunculus once it was in range. The creature flinched before it sent its own lightning bolts at the Fairies. The Homunculus wouldn't last against three Fairies, but since Alchemy was stronger than Glamour it would do some considerable damage to his fairies.

Demyx waved his wand. Out of the Wicca rune came a six foot tall white mare with a golden mane and a 15in blue horn sticking out of its head, a Unicorn. Three more followed the fist.

Demyx panted lightly. Using this magic consecutively was draining, but screw that.

Just as Demyx's last unicorn came out two large black stone creatures with furnace like metal heads came out of Rai's rune, they had orange eyes that glowed like fire-lit coal. Golems. Slow moving, but strong enough to take out his Fairies in two hits when they were at full power.

Well the, Demyx had to move fast!

With the last of his magical energy Demyx summoned to Elves, little boys in oversized green hats. "Build some Talismans to defend the gates." He ordered. Then he stood by his Unicorns. If he got close enough to Rai's runes with them, his Bright stone would boost their power enough to take out the runes in only two hits.

He waited until his Talismans appeared. They were large blue crystals covered in vines on tall stone pedestals. They would attack enemies that approached his runes. "And….charge!!!"

Demyx sprinted forward. The unicorns ran ahead of him as the Fairies in front attacked the slowly approaching Golems. The Golems sluggishly waved their arms to knock the Fairies away.

Demyx and the Unicorns dodged around the other familiars and headed straight to Rai's rune. There was a cry behind Demyx and he winced as he felt a small tug. A golem had scooped out a chunk of the ground and hurled it at the Fairies. It had hit one, doing critical damage. She had disappeared, being forcibly sent back through the gate.

He reached the rune as he felt another tug. Another Fairy had fallen. "Attack the Engrave!" He ordered the Unicorns as he felt the third tug. There went his last Fairy.

His Unicorns went about attacking the rune. But Rai wasn't about to take this lying down. He tackled Demyx to the ground. There was odd clattering sound after the two boys had fallen.

Demyx grunted and shoved the other teen off, successfully rubbing some Blob goo on him. Demyx rolled away while Rai yelled at him and tried to rub the goo off on the ground.

This was probably the most irritating part of matches. Physical combat was allowed.

Demyx quickly rolled to his feet, glancing at his Unicorns. He had to do a double take.

His Unicorns were attacking the rune, but they weren't hitting it nearly as powerful as they should be with the Bright Stone in Demyx's pocket.

Wait a second…..

Demyx patted himself down. His Bright Stone! It wasn't in his pocket! He dodged an incoming punch from Rai as he frantically scanned the ground for the glowing green stone. There! Over there a little ways behind the Golems. It must've fallen out his pocket when Rai tackled him.

Demyx's gaze flicked to the Golems. They were lumbering toward the Glamourist's runes. He had to get the stone. The talismans he built would buy some time, but it was Alchemy vs. Glamour. His runes wouldn't last long. If he didn't get the stone back in range of the Unicorns, the Golems would destroy his runes first. He wouldn't let Rai win.

He ducked under another one of Rai's punches and kicked out his leg, successfully knocking the larger boy off his feet. Demyx made a break for it.

He ran for the stone, eyes focused on the glowing object. He was tree feet from the object when he was tackled down again.

The wind was knocked from him and his arm was twisted painfully under him, but he ignored it all and reached for the stone. He almost had it!

But stupid Rai kneeled on his back and pinned his wrist down. "I don't think so, yo!" The boy panted. He was just as tired as Demyx. Rai had little to no stamina.

Demyx grunted and attempted to kick the larger teen off. It proved to be futile.

Then Rai cried out and rolled off Demyx while clutching his chest. Demyx's Unicorns managed to destroy one of Rai's runes. The teen was feeling the pain from having the magic he put into the rune shatter. It was the opening Demyx needed.

The Glamourist pushed himself up on his knees and lunged forward, swiping the Bright Stone up off the ground. He quickly scrambled to his feet and ran to his Unicorns.

The Stonde did it's job. It only took one hit from each Unicorn to take out Rai's last rune.

Demyx watched the rune break apart and dissolve into nothing.

The crowd exploded into cheers. "And the winner is Demyx! And it was such a close match too!"Demyx grinned triumphantly. He had lived through the first round! And moderately unharmed too! But he was still covered in Blob goo. Eww.

Demyx turned to see Rai pushing his large self off the ground. The teen had finally gotten over the pain of having his rune destroyed.

Demyx fully turned to the other boy and held out his hand. It was customary to shake hands with you're opponent after the dual.

Yeah, well, tell that to Rai.

The moment he was close enough, Rai pulled back his fist and socked Demyx in the face, hard.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! The fight's over! Cool it!" The announcer called out.

Rai ignored every word. "You cheated, ya know!"

Demyx stumbled back, holding his cheek in a surprised daze. He got over his surprise quickly and glowered at Rai. "Cheated? How?! If anything you cheated! You're the one that tackled me!" How dare he accuse him of cheating!

Rai shook his fist in the air. "I don't know how, but you did, ya know! Alchemy's supposed to beat Glamour!"

Demyx blinked once. Twice. Three times. Was Rai really that stupid? "Wake up moron!" Demyx shouted. "It had to be a crime to be that stupid. "It depends on the magician!"

Rai found this as news, then growled. "You're a liar AND a cheater!" He brought his fist back for another punch.

"Okay that's enough!" A black haired female bounced in between the two. She had a wireless headset on. She was the announcer. "The dual's over! Shake hands and get out over the arena!"

Rai and Demyx glared at each other over the woman. After a minute of nothing happening, the announcer gave them both a quick elbowing in the ribs. "I said shake. Don't make pull my wand out." She told them warningly. Boys could be so prideful sometimes.

Demyx rubbed his stomach from the blow. She didn't need to be so pushy. The Mohawk teen slowly and grudgingly stuck his hand out to shake. Rai did the same ting in the same manner. After a hesitant shake between them, the boys ripped their hands away, repulsed by the other's touch.

The announcer suppressed a groan. Prideful nothing, these boys were downright stubborn! "Annnd that's the end of the first match folks! Wasn't that exciting? We'll start the next match in fifteen minutes!"

The girl switched her headset off and grabbed both boys' arms. While leading out of the arena she said in an irritated tone. "You two are _way_ out of line."

The boys let themselves be dragged away by the girl. The entire trek the teens were doing their best to stay as far away from the other as they could while they were in the announcer's iron grip.

Once they reached the waiting room, the announcer deposited Demyx in front of the door. "You are free to go. Tell the next contenders they have ten minutes to get to their gates." She gave Demyx a once over. "And I would suggest you go and shower."

Demyx nodded and watched Rai get dragged away shouting protests.

The Mohawk teen turned back to the door. As he reached for the handle the soor flew open. Before Demyx could register who it was, he was swept into a twirling hug with his feet lifted from the ground.

Only one of his friends could do that to him. "Axel!"

"You did it man!" The red head crowed. "You passed the first round!" Axel's face scrunched up and he abruptly dropped the other male. "And you're covered in blob goop! Yuck!"

"We noticed." Riku said with a smile as he came up from behind the red head. "If you had looked before you leaped you would have too."

Axel placed his hands on Demyx's shoulders and began shaking him. "You scared me half to death! Don't you ever do that again!"

Demyx blinked. Had he really worried them that much? "Sorry….But it's kinda a tournament."

"I meant the after fight. Are you trying to get yourself faulted?!"

Demyx frowned and looked away mumbling. "Rai started it."

"That doesn't mean you let him hit you!"

Okay, now Axel wasn't making any sense. "Didn't you just tell me not to get faulted?"

"Yes….I mean…..well I-" Luckily Axel didn't need to finish. Sora shoved him out of the way.

"Stop hogging Demyx! We want to see him too! Even if he is covered in blob goo!"

"Not all of us!" Seifer shouted from inside the room like the ass he was.

"Shut up Seifer!" Hayner called as he elbowed his way past the red head to Demyx. "Dude! You were awesome!"

Demyx grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "You're just saying that. I barely won."

Hayner patted a goop-free part of the taller teen's back. "I'm not! That was some fast summoning!"

Demyx perked up a bit. "Do you really think so?"

Sora guided Demyx into the room with the other three right behind them. "Dude, we know so."

The waiting room was basically the same as it was when the match had started. The only differences were the empty couch where the boys had been and Seifer and switched from sitting to laying on the pool table.

Demyx looked over to Tidus and Wakka. "You guys need to get to your gates."

The two boys were out the door, playfully arguing who was going to win.

Hayner took Tidus' spot on the couch next to Pence while everyone else but Demyx crammed together on one couch again.

Demyx frowned at Roxas who was deeply focused on the game he was playing against Fuu. "Roxie, did you watch my match?"

"Yeah." Roxas replied, never taking his eyes off the board. Demyx wasn't convinced by that.

Sora beamed at Demyx. "Don't worry. They watched."

Demyx's face brightened. "Really?"

"Yep." Axel replied as he leaned back in the couch. "In fact they put their game on hold just to watch."

Demyx grinned at Roxas.

"No problem." The blond replied to Demyx's unsaid Thanks. Fuu moved a piece forward.

"Checkmate."

Roxas frowned. He really did suck at chess. But it was good strategical practice. After all, the matches were a lot like chess. The Rune gates would be the kings, the magicians the queens, and the summonable familiars and such the other pieces.

Which left Roxas wondering whether or not if Riku was good at chess. If he was, then Roxas could just about kiss his chances of winning goodbye.


	12. Chapter 12

Okay. Here's my normal apology for taking so long, but these battles aren't that easy to type.

And I also must apologize, I accidentally skipped Hayner and Yuna's fight. I had already finished the chapter when I realized, and I didn't want to delay my readers any longer, so I apologize. The bottom line is that Hayner lost badly. If I get enough complaints I'll add it in as an extra chapter.

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

* * *

"That had to be the shortest match ever." Axel said gaping at the screen.

Yes for the third match, Waka and Tidus were all ready to fight, totally stoked, runes summoned and everything! Then Waka tripped and fell backwards off the stage.

Roxas nodded, brows nearing his hairline. "Yeah…" He knew that Waka was clumsy, but this was ridiculous.

The speaker was chimed on overhead. "The next match will start in fifteen minutes time. Contestants please report to the designated gates."

Roxas sighed. Well, it's now or never. Actually, Roxas preferred never, but he knex his family wouldn't let him. The blond stood and stretched with a groan.

"Hey," Axel said seriously, standing beside Roxas. He placed a firm hand on the blond's shoulder. "Good luck."

Ouch elbowed right in the stomach. Roxas walked away from Axel, past his snickering friends. "I don't need luck."

Axel groaned and rubbed his stomach. He looked over at the snickering silverette. "Shut up! Cut me some slack!"

Riku shook his head and stood. "You didn't wish me good luck so no slack for you."

Roxas heard the aggravated yell from Axel as he continued down the hall. It reminded him of Axel wishing him luck, bringing a small blush to his cheeks. For some odd reason, it made him happy, knowing that Axel was cheering him on.

The blond abruptly slapped his cheeks. He didn't have time to think about this! He had to focus on the fight ahead. As much as Sora and Riku loved each other, Roxas wasn't planning on losing to the silverette.

Roxas quickened his pace through the halls, stopping only when he reached the gates.

The blond took a deep breath, then stepped through them.

His ears were assaulted by the cheers of the audience, his eyes by the stadium lights.

But Roxas paid no heed to them. The moment he stepped into the open air, all his attention was focused on Riku standing just outside the gate at the other end of the arena.

From the first moment he had seen the three newbies Roxas knew they were different. Not different like him, with a dark haunting past, but different none the less. It just felt like…..that in a fight, they could stand up to Roxas, even with the skills that were pounded into him. Maybe that was why Roxas hadn't liked them at first, moreso than usual, he had been afraid.

Neither boy smiled as they stepped up into the arena. The cheering of the crowd had died down. Both merely stared at each other. There was a thick tension in the air, making the crowd uncomfortable.

Even the announcer was getting uncomfortable. "Er…right then. The third round is about to begin! Contestants are you ready?"

Both boys drew black wands and raised them high in the air, never breaking eye contact. "Right then. Ready…Dual!"

The match started much like the first one had; both boys began drawing and summoning rune gates.

A bead of sweat ran down Roxas' face as he worked. If he went by magical statistics, this would be a close match. Necromancy beat Sorcery, but if he was right about Riku then that wouldn't be enough. And to top it off Necromancy's summoning familiars are not all meant for attacking. The blond was not going to win this fight unless he threw some literal punches, which was exactly what he didn't want to do.

Roxas stood next to two rune gates. Both were blue. They were both Hades Gate rune, the image of stick figures clawing up at the air over it. Riku was over on the other side with a red Hell Gate rune of his own on his side, and wide eyes. It took a great deal of stamina and control to summon two gates at once, even with all the extra magic minerals. The blond ignored Riku's look and went about upgrading the runes. Riku was quick to recompose himself and began upgrading his runes as well.

The crowd was dead silent as they watched, no one daring to say a word, least they break one of the fighter's concentration.

Once his rune was upgraded Roxas summoned a few ghosts, then charged.

Riku's eyes widened again as he watched the blond boy come running at him. Then he smiled nervously and set about summoning a second rune. If it was a fight Roxas wanted, it was a fight he was going to get.

Roxas wasted no time when he reached Riku. The blond threw a punch at the other, who anticipated it and blocked. At the last second though, Roxas pulled his fist away and instead landed a well aimed kick on Riku's side. The silverette skidded away a few feet from the force with a grunt. He had managed to block the kick too, but it hurt.

Roxas wasn't done yet though. The blond moved back in for a flurry of punches and kicks. Rioku was blocking each one to Roxas' surprise. The blond had been subtly speeding up each move and yet Riku was keeping up perfectly. He had expected the silverette to be good, but not this good. The blond was beginning to borderline his skills from the organization. Riku smirked. "Something wrong blondie?" Roxas twitched. Ass.

Suddenly both boys winced, throwing off their 'attack-defend' game. Roxas' ghosts had self-destructed, destroying Riku's summoned imps.

The silverette was in a bad position now. Roxas had two large scythe wielding phantoms coming to back him up, as well as something else currently being summoned through a rune. Riku only had one summoned familiar, but he couldn't use it yet, it wasn't ready. So he did something else. As Roxas moved to throw another punch at him, he ducked. "Pansy." Then reached around the boy. Roxas took the opportunity to knee Riku in the stomach. The silverette felt the wind leave him from the blow. He moved away from the blond, taking in air with huge gasps.

Then he suddenly grinned at Roxas, which in turn caused the blond to frown. What was he so happy about? Riku held out his hand. Roxas' eyes widened. That prick just stole his wand!

Riku chuckled at the blond's bewilderment as he twirled the wand. This should cripple Roxas' summoning.

Roxas glared at the silverette. Revenge! He held his hands up, a light blue aura surrounding the tips of his fingers. Riku's jaw dropped and the crowd gasped and whispering. That was extremely high level magic, not even very many adult wizards could do that. Just what did Roxas learn from that organization?

The blond drew symbols that hung in the air, opening another Hades Gate. Roxas realized what the blond was doing and took a step back. "Calm down Roxas. It's just a tournament."

The blond didn't hear Riku. He had crossed the borderline. He had never wanted to kill everyone. So he separated himself from his emotions, let go of his mind. It happened when he was scared, or enraged. Whenever that happened he lost all control. The world went all black for him, everyone was an enemy.

Sora gripped the edge of the couch tightly as he watched through the TV. The room of contestants was dead silent. Not even Seifer made any snide comments. They all knew what Roxas could do when he snapped. The blond had attacked Hayner once. The boy had accepted his apology and asked no questions, that was probably why he and Roxas were still friends. A bead of sweat ran down the brunette twin's face. Demyx and Axel were both frowning. Come on Roxas, snap back.

The blond summoned a dozen ghosts, pushing his body to the limit. Then charged, he and all his ghosts.

Riku turned and ran. He was no match for all of them alone. But luckily he didn't need to be. He ran to his runes and picked up a large whit egg with purple spots. A dragon's egg. Sorcerers could only summon dragon's in egg form and wait for them to hatch to control the. Riklu's egg was ready to hatch.

Roxas was forced to shield his eyes as the egg hatched in a burst of light. When the light faded Roxas' eyes widened.

A dragon stood behind Riku, growling menacingly. It was as tall as the walls that separated the stands from the arena, and if it stretched out from head to tail it would take up one whole side of the arena. It was as black as the night's starless sky and had eyes that glowed red like a roaring fire.

Now Roxas stepped back, still in his snapped state. He gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let this stop him. He threw his hand forward at the dragon, motioning for the ghosts to attack.

The astrals glowed bright and cackled evilly, throwing themselves at Riku's beast.

The dragon reared its head and opened its black jaws letting loose a massive stream of roaring flame at the ghosts. Each one let out a scream as they were disintegrated on the spot.

Roxas clutched his head and cried out in pain, feeling like he was being torn from the inside as so many familiars were being forced back through the gates, taking a bit of his magic with them. He was caught off guard by this, and was not able to get out of the way of the blast of the flames.

The audience screamed in horror as the blond was hit head on by the stream of flames. Sora made a sort of choking noise and covered his mouth. Yuna sat beside the boy and forced him to look away. Axel's fists clenched until they were white. The color drained from his face and he had a thin layer of perspiration on his forehead. Roxas……..

The flames finally died down, leaving large plumes of smoke, obscuring the view of the arena. Riku swallowed thickly and took a step forward. "Roxas…?" He cautiously stepped forward into the smoke. It was making his eyes water and he coughed as he tried to wave it out of his face. He could make out a figure somewhat.

The closer he got the more defined the figure became, until he was right next to it. "Roxas….?"

The boy was slumped over in his standing position. His clothes were charred with holes, and considerably smaller. His blond spikes were blackened at the tips. His arms and face were covered in burns. His blue eyes were open and unseeing. He had passed out from pain and the heat.

Riku's face softened and he let out a small sigh of relief. The smoke finally cleared away, letting the audience see the boys. Riku gently scooped the boy off his feet so that he could lay him on the blackened arena floor. He closed the boy's eyes.

Then suddenly the silverette winced and grabbed the side of his head with one hand. What the-? He shot a glance to his runes, just as the second one was destroyed by a large scythe surrounded by a blue aura.

The phantoms. Riku had been so preoccupied with Roxas and the ghosts that he had completely forgotten about them.

He sighed and chuckled slightly as the announcer's voice returned.

"Amazing! Riku managed to take down the magician, but in the end he lost to the remaining familiars! The winner of this dual is Roxas!"

The crowd erupted into wild cheers. But Riku ignored them. He carefully slid Roxas onto his back for a piggyback ride, the silverette wasn't interested in waiting for the paramedics. He carried Roxas out of the arena.

Aerith was waiting for him at the gate. She wordlessly led Riku through the Colisseum halls to the infirmary.

The infirmary was full of white beds, each had a whiteboard and dry erase maker at the end. Next to each was a small table wio\th a lamp. In the back of the room were counters and medicine cabinets.

Riku laid Roxas on the closest bed as Aerith shuffled to the back. At the sound of rattling and clinking jars, Roxas' eyes fluttered open. He shifted slightly, then groaned as the pain became known.

The silverette chuckled. "Morning spirtfire."

Roxas rubbed the soot out of his eyes and looked at the speaker. "Riku? Where are we? And why do I hurt so much?"

"The infirmary. You took my dragon's blast head on after you went beserk."

Roxas remembered now. He sighed and stuck his sooty hand out for the shake he didn't get to do in the arena. "Well, great job. I'll just have to try harder next year and keep my anger in check."

Riku chuckled again, causing the sooty blond to frown. "What's so funny?"

Riku smiled and poked the blond's balck nose, much to the blond's displeasure. "You are. You won."

Roxas' eyes widened, drawing more chuckles from Riku. "Wha-? How-? I passed out, you had a golden opportunity at my rune gates."

"Yes, I did. But those two phantoms of yours went after my gates when my dragon was dealing with you and your ghosts."

Roxas frowned. "So basically I won by a lucky accident."

"Basically, yeah."

The door burst open and Sora charged in. "Roxas!" The brunette tackled his twin. "Thank the Gods you're okay!"

Roxas winced as his brother rubbed his burns, but he didn't mention it as he hugged him back. "Yeah, but I'm getting you dirty."

"Who cares!" Soras said, pushing his brother back to arm length. "You scared me half to death! Don't you ever do that again!"

Roxas rose a brow. "Sora, this is a tournament. I'm going to have to fight again."

Sora lowered his voice. "Will you be okay to? You can drop out." Sora was referring to when Roxas had snapped on the field. When he snaps once during a day, it's easier for him to snap again.

Roxas shook his head. "I'm fine Sora. Don't worry about it. I have plenty of time before the match to cool down."

Sora nodded after a few moments of thought. "Yeah, you're right."

Roxas smiled, then suddenly let out a very manly squeak when he felt someone poke his back.

Axel's eyes crinkled in merriment and he poked Roxas again. "That was funny, do it again."

Roxas couldn't help but smile when most of the concern in the room was replaced with joy and amusement. The blond playfully swatted Axel's hand away. "Oh shut up! Or I'll record those funny noises you make when Riku tries to wake you up in the morning and sell them on the internet."

Axel gasped mockingly and covered his mouth. "You wouldn't!"

"Try me."

Demyx chuckled from the doorway. "Who would want to buy noises Axel makes?"

Axel grinned. "Lots of people, cause I'm sexy~!"

This brought laughs around the room, except from one small blond that looked away, face badly flushed. What the hell? Why was he reacting this way?

Roxas pushed off the bed. "I-I gonna go take a shower…" He stuttered as he brushed past Riku and Demyx.

Four of the five people in the room smiled knowingly as they watched the blond leave. One tilted his head cluelessly. "Was it something I said?" Axel asked.

Sora hooked his fingers behind his back, smiling brightly. "No, not at all."

It was obvious to everyone but Axel and Roxas that Roxas was infatuated with Axel.

Though whether Roxas actually couldn't tell, or that he didn't want to admit it was a mystery.

Roxas quickly moved through the halls and into the locker room. He stripped and dumped his clothes and stones into the locker and snatched a towel up. He hung the cloth on a hook in between the showers and stepped under the warm spray.

Evern after being blasted by dragon fire, Roxas' skin was still death cold. That just proved he was drawn to Necromancy.

Roxas leaned back against the shower wall. He hated being drawn to Necromancy. Everyone avoided him for it. He wasn't counting Hayner, Pence, Olette, or Seifer's gang. Like he had explained, he and Hayner simply had a common enemy, and where Hayner went, Pence and Olette had followed. And Seifer….well Seifer was an ass that just wanted to use Roxas for his own gains. Just like the organization…..

Nuh-uh! Roxas shook his head fiercely. Things were going so well! He was not going to think about them unless he _saw_ one. He had convinced himself that Xigbar's mind tapping ability stretched outside of the stadium, so there was a possibility that they weren't actually here at the competition.

The blond sighed and pushed off the wall. He used the soap dispencer in the shower to scrub the soot and dirt off himself.

Riku was a tough opponent. He had no intention of fighting the silverette in another dual again anytime soon. Besides that, Sora liked him, and Riku liked Sora. It was perfect. Sora had always been too concerned with Roxas. He had never had any time for his love life.

Then Riku had walked into his life, and Roxas could just tell that it had been the best thing that had ever happened to his twin.

That seemed to be how love worked. A Prince Charming would come along and whisk the poor princess out of her horrible life. Cinderella. Snow White. That had even happened to his oldest brother.

If it hadn't been for Leon, Cloud would have never worked up the courage to take control of Roxas and Sora's situations and moved away.

Roxas smiled hollowly. He kinda wished a Prince Charming would come whisk him away.

The blond was startled from his thoughts when he heard the faint noise of a rattling locker. He had almost missed it over the sound of the running water. He didn't hear anything else though. Whoever it was didn't want to be known.

Two could play at that game. Roxas silently slipped out of the shower, leaving it running. He quietly dried himself enough not to leave drips, then crept along the tile floor. He crouched by the entrance way to the lockers and cautiously peered around the edge.

While in the organization Roxas had learned things about sneaking up on, or tracking people. When peering around corners, stay low because they'll expect you at eye level. When trying to spy, be cautious of where you do it from, because when you can see them, there's a more than likely chance that they can or will be able to see you too.

No one was in the locker area. There probably wasn't anyone in the locker room besides Roxas, not anymore anyways.

His locker was sitting wide open. Stupid! He had forgotten to close it when he went to go shower.

He moved into the locker area and checked his belongings. Everything was there, from his singed clothes to his stones. Huh. The AC must and blown the door, making the sound. Or he was just paranoid.

The speaker crackled to life over head, announcing the next match between Kairi and Fuu. He quickly dressed in his extra clothes and went to shut off the shower.

He planned to enjoy himself and watch his fellow Necromancer.

* * *

I apologize again, and I didn't have time to look up questions. So send them to me and I'll answer next time.


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, sorry for the wait. This one is pretty short, but there's lots of drama in this one.

* * *

Just about everyone in the stadium was pumped for the next fight.

Kairi vs. Fuu

Everyone from town knew that the two girls hated each other. They were polar opposites. So they all seem to think that this was going to end up at a cat fight.

Roxas laid on the back of the couch, watching Sora and Demyx have a thumb war. Everyone may have been revved up for the battle, but it was supposed to have started five minutes ago.

No one had seen Kairi since before Roxas and Riku's match. Fuu was waiting patiently in the arena. If Kairi didn't show up in the next ten minutes, Fuu would win by default.

Roxas swung his arm off the backside of the couch, flexing his fingers every so often to rid them of the tingly feeling. He was thinking about the next fight he was supposed to be in. The winner of this next battle would be his next opponent. He wasn't worried about fighting Kairi, he was worried about fighting Fuu, mainly because he knew what she was capable of and vice versa. That was exactly the type of person he hated fighting.

Axel was lying on one of the other couches with a paper folded fortune teller, but unlike mortal ones, this one could actually tell his fortune. All that he had to do was cast a spell on it and leave everything blank. It even picked up the mental questions.

Axel glanced at Roxas before saying to the paper: 'I want to ask about love.' The four corner tops turned different colors: Red, Pink, Purple, Blue. Red, duh. R-E-D. Names were on the inside. Roxas, Sora, Riku, Demyx. R-O-X-A-S. The same selection turned up again. "Do I have a chance with Roxas?" He opened the flap.

"Try again."

…..Well that's encouraging.

Axel sighed and tossed the fortune teller away. Whatever.

Sora shot up with a shout of triumph. "Ha! Take that! Thumb War champ of the world!" He did himself a little victory jig while Demyx sat pouting on the floor with his arms crossed. The other people chuckled a bit before quieting down again.

Sora sighed and sat on the couch, watching the TV. He missed Riku. Defeated contestants had to sit in the audience for the remainder of the tournament. The only exception was if they were in the infirmary. Demyx sat by Sora as the announcer spoke.

"Well folks, it seems that Kairi is a no-show so-WAIT! I see her now! Here comes Kairi!" The crowd erupted into cheers as the young girl ran up the steps. She held her hands on her knees as she panted heavily and spoke to the announcer in between breaths. "Well! It seems Kairi feel asleep in the shower! Good thing she didn't drown! Well then, fighters take your postions!"

The two girls walked to the opposite ends of the arena, then, raised their wands. "Ready? Begin!"

Everyone in the waiting room was focused on the battle that was starting….Well, everyone except Roxas. He was focused on Seifer.

The other had been acting strange. He seemed confident and happy earlier when Kairi was missing, then suddenly he was sour as a Warhead when she showed up. It was maybe because he wanted to see Fuu when by default, but who the hell could fall asleep in the shower?

Roxas moved off the couch and over to Seifer, who immediately spotted the smaller blond heading towards him. "What's your problem wuss?"

Seifer's words caught the attention of the other people in the room. "Can I talk to you in the hall?" Roxas asked, not at all put off by Seifer's attir=tude.

Seifer smirked. "Sure, whatever." He pushed off the wall and forcefully brushed past Roxas as he walked into the hall.

Sora frowned. "Roxas? What's going on?"

Roxas smiled at his brother. "Don't worry. We're just talking."

Sora's eyes followed Roxas as he walked out. Then he sighed. "I'm more worried about the what and why." Axel and Demyx nodded in agreement as they all watched the door.

Roxas led Seifer a little ways off from the door so the others could not hear. Then he turned in Seifer with a hard glare. "What did you do to her?"

Seifer smirked. "To who?"

"Don't play games with me." Roxas snapped. "No one in their right mind could fall asleep in a shower."

"Maybe she ain't in her right mind."

"She isn't and you know it!" Seifer frowned as Roxas snapped again. "She's a perferctly sane and nice girl. Everybody knows it! What did you do?!"

Seifer snorted and brushed past Roxas back towards the rec room. "I don't have to stand here and take this."

"You drugged her didn't you!" Seifer stopped at Roxas' accusation. "You gave her something so she'd have to default didn't you?"

Seifer stared at Roxas. Then he grinned and sauntered back over. Roxas stepped back away from Seifer. He didn't like the way the other was grinning. Seifer backed Roxas into the wall and leaned so close that Roxas could feel his breath on his face, It smelt of sardines, making Roxas want to cover his nose.

"What would you do about it if I did?" Seifer asked tauntingly.

Roxas glared up at Seifer. Damn, he wished he was taller. Or at least that Seifer was shorter. "I'll report you, obviously."

Seifer chuckled. "You have no proof."

"You just admitted it."

"No, I said 'if I did.' I never said it was me. So it's your word against mine."

"You're a delinquent. They won't believe anything you say."

"Not unless they're bribed."

Roxas gritted his teeth and glared at Seifer. He was such an ass, and a rich one to boot. He could get just about anything he wanted by either bullying or bribing. That was probably one of the things that Roxas hated about Seifer. "You dirty jackass."

Seifer sighed and moved away, no longer grinning. "Look, I didn't do it, aight?"

Roxas frowned. "Oh sure, and I'm supposed to believe that?"

Seifer threw his hands out. "Yes! What else am I supposed to say?! It wasn't me!"

"Then why were you so unhappy about Kairi making the fight?"

"Cause Fuu's my friend!" Roxas blinked stupidly, making Seifer sigh. "She's my friend, loser. Has been for a long time. I wanted to see her win the fight easily. Don't you want the same for your friends?"

Roxas bit his lip.; How was he supposed to argue with that? But that still didn't let Seifer off the hook. He reached out and snatched Seifer's wrist into his hand. "Say it again,"

Seifer scowled and tried yanking his wrist back. "The hell are you-?!"

"Just say you didn't do it again. Your pulse will tell me if you're lying or not."

Seifer rose a brow. "Like how?"

"So you know how lie detectors work?"

"Psh, course not. Do I look like I study to you?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "They measure your heart rate. It fluctuates when you lie." Seifer gave him an exasperated look. "It acts funny. That got through to him. "Now say it again."

"I didn't drug her." Roxas held Seifer's wrist tightly, his thumb pressed under Seifer's where the wrist met the hand. His pulse beat away calmly, no changes, and his empathy picked up nothing.

"On more time."

"I. Didn't. Drug. That. Kairi-chick." Still no changes.

Roxas let go of Seifer's wrist with a frown. "You're…telling the truth…"

Seifer smirked. "Finally."

Roxas looked at him. "But you know, no one else but Fuu and Rai will believe you."

Seifer's face fell. "Shit." He muttered.

Roxas frowned. If it wasn't Seifer, who?.....Duh. "Okay, look, sorry for jumping the gun and accusing you, but now I need your help."

Seifer smirked and leaned his face real close to Roxas' again. "What's in it for me?"

Roxas bit his lip. "You not getting in trouble?"

"Psh." Seifer rolled his eyes. "That won't be anything useful. They'll just blame me for something else tomorrow."

Drat. He wasn't going to let Roxas get his help for free. "Alright, alright. Let me think of something." He pursed his lips in thought. What would Seifer want from him? Normally all he wanted was to pick on Roxas and Sora. Oh, he wanted Roxas in his gang too. But that wasn't going to happen. Finally Roxas said. "How about any favors you need from me for the next for weeks?"

Seifer rose a brow. "_**Any**_ favors?"

"That are legal and within reason."

Seifer almost faltered. "Suppose it slips my mind and I don't get a chance to ask in the four weeks."

"Then you get one favor." Suspecting that Seifer, being the hardass lawyer type that he was, wouldn't be satisfied with that, the smaller blond quickly added. "And that one doesn't have to be in reason, but still legal."

Seifer thought it over. "All right. You got yourself a deal." He pulled away. "Just say the word and we'll do all that we can to catch whoever's stirring up trouble."

'Cause that's your job.' Roxas thought. His empathy picked up some form of joy from Seifer. Well good for him. "Alright. Your match is up after this one. When Fuu gets out, tell her to go into the girls locker room and investigate Kairi's things. We need to find whatever drugged her.

Seifer nodded, surprised at Roxas' leadership. "Right. Any idea who might have done it?"

Roxas bit his lip. "An inkling. And I hope to the Gods that I'm wrong." The small blond wouldn't let Seifer ask any questions.

Roxas walked back to the room, arms crossed and deep in thought. So Seifer hadn't done it. That only left two possibilities that seemed even remotely plausible. 1: Another contestant and/or family member of a contestant. 2: Silent Whispers…..He seriously hoped it was at least number one.

Roxas walked into the rec room, noting that it wasn't fully closed. He must not have pulled it close all the way when he left. Seifer shoved past him to get into the room. Roxas scowled and rubbed his arm where the douche elbowed him. Seifer probably left it open when they left, lazy ass.

Roxas walked into the room and blinked. The seating arrangement had changed. Not too drastically. It's just his seat was gone. It was Demy, Axel, Riku, and Sora piled onto couch. And there was some tension hanging in the air. It was low, but it rose when they noticed Roxas and Seifer.

The small blond walked over. "Hey guys." Demyx smiled slightly and waved. Riku nodded to him. Sora fidgeted. Axel didn't even look at him. Roxas frowned and looked around the room. Everyone there had the same sort of reaction to the first three.

Roxas turned back to the three on the couch. "What's going on?"

Axel snorted. "Like you don't know." He said bitterly.

Roxas furrowed his brows. "No, I don't. What?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "Then allow me to refresh your memory." He wrapped his arms around himself and turned into the couch, imitating and heavy pants…..well hopefully imitating.

Roxas frowned. 'What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Axel stopped his little charade to glare at Roxas, and for some reason, it hurt the small blond. "You can play stupid all you want, but I saw you."

Roxas was getting extremely frustrated. "Sawe me what?"

Sora jumped up. "Roxas! Let's talk!" The brunette dragged his twin outside.

It was horrible. All Roxas felt in the room was distrust, shock, and scorn. He leaned against the hall wall. "Sora, what's going on? Why is everyone acting like that?"

"Why didn't you tell me you like Seifer?"

Roxas felt like he'd been hit with a washcloth soaked in cold water. "What?"

Sora fidgeted. "You could have just told me. I'm your brother and I'll accept it, even if he is a jerk that picks on us and-"

"Sora!" Roxas cut his brother off sharply. "I don't like Seifer! At all! He's an asshole that's done nothing but torment us cruelly! What in the name of the gods gave you the idea that I could possibly like him?!"

Sora blinked in shock. "B-But when Axel went to check on you because you were taking too long he saw you kissing Seifer."

Roxas practically gagged. "We didn't kiss!"

"But Axel saw you!" His brother protested.

"Axel saw wrong!" Roxas yelled. "We just talked! No kisses whatsoever!" He shut his mouth.

Sora was backed against the other wall with wide frightened eyes. Roxas had never yelled at him like that before. "Sora….I-" The brunette didn't let him finish. He turned and ran back into the rec room and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Roxas alone and ashamed.

The blond continued to stare at the rec room door. He hadn't meant to yell at Sora. He was just frustrated. His own twin wouldn't believing him though. If his own twin didn't believe him, who would?

Roxas sighed and trudged to the locker room. He slumped onto the wall seat that ran around in front of all the lockers around the room and leaned against his own.

He felt absolutely horrible for yelling at his brother like that, he wanted to apologize and tell him everything, but he couldn't right now. If he set foot in that room, the scorn would become unbearable. He'd wait till Sora's fight and catch him alone to explain what he was talking about with Seifer.

There was a TV hanging in the corner of the locker room. Like the one in the rec room, it was wired to show the fights in the arena. Roxas watched the remainder of Fuu and Kairi's fight.

Kairi was drawn to Glamour, which normally would defeat Fuu's Necromancy. But since there were only two Necromancers for one teacher in the entire city, Roxas and Fuu had more depth in their training. Fuu also had more summoning stamina. Kairi had lost before the battle even began, and she knew it. But Kairi wasn't one to take defeat lying down. She fought Fuu tooth and nail, not literally thought, or the fight would have been much more interesting.

Fuu won in the end. Roxas watched them shake hands through the TV. He heard the loudspeaker chime to life overhead, announcing the fifteen minute warning for the next two contestants, Seifer and Pence.

Roxas merely stayed where he was. A few minutes later the door to the locker room opened. Pence came in. He paused when he saw Roxas. The small blond waved. Pence lowered his head and went about his business of getting his minerals and leaving, not saying a word to Roxas the entire time.

Seifer came in as Pence left. "What crawled up everyone's asses and died?"

Roxas sighed. "They think we're trying to secretly go steady." Seifer scowled. "Yeah, I know."

Seifer sighed. "Aight. I do….sorta owe for believing you." Roxas blinked and sat up straighter. "So…I'll try and tell them they're wrong."

Holy crap! The world is coming to an end! Seifer's being nice! The blond pointed at Roxas after he got his minerals from his locker. "Don expect this every frickin day! I just owe you!"

Roxas smiled and nodded. As the other was walking out the door Roxas spoke up. "Seifer…thanks…."

Seifer paused. "….Shut up." He muttered as he walked out.


	14. Chapter 14

Okay, typical disclaimer and be sure to read the note at the end!

* * *

Falling. That's all that was happening. No explanation to it. He was falling in the black. Heheh, Skillet.

But the farther he fell the less black it seemed. Images passed him by, like they were a bunch of eternally suspended TV screens, with moving images.

He began to recognize them as he passed them.

Yelling at Sora.

Talking with Seifer.

The infirmary with Axel acting weird.

The fight with Riku where he snapped.

He realized that he wasn't just falling through black space, he was falling backwards in time. The farther he fell, the older the memories and the larger the room seemed to get. He didn't understand.

Finally, after what seemed like a mini eternity he landed. A lot softer than he imagined from all that falling anyway. And even more things were different down here. He had shrunk. His hands and feet were that of a small child. He stood much shorter than he normally would. It was extremely unsettling.

He identified where he was with a quick survey of his surroundings. He had fallen into one of those TV windows.

He was in the Proof of Existence. An old graveyard with white marble statues. They each wore the typical hood and cloak and cloak of the Silent Whispers. All the statues' hoods were up.

He avoided the statue with I carved on the base and moved along the semi circle. The statues were enchanted to grow and shape like the original they were carved after as time went on. When the person died, the hood would come off, and the statue would freeze that way forever. There were thirteen in all. At one of the ends of the semi circle was his own.

Under the hood was his stoic expression. He had learned to never show emotions of displeasure to the other members. Only fake joy or nothing.

He moved along. Zexion was easiest to find next. They were the two shortest members. Zexion's expression under the hood mimicked his own.

Luxord wasn't as easy to discern from the others without looking at the number carved into the base. Under his hood was a rather smug expression. That was rather typical.

He went over each statue one by one. There were two that confused him, thoroughly. They weren't the members he remembered. Different postures. Different expressions. And they definitely were that lean and young looking last time he met them. And despite all this, there was an odd familiarity. He felt like he had met them, and yet for the life of him he couldn't place them.

"**Welcome back.**"

Roxas stiffened. The hairs on the back of his neck rose while a cold fear seeped into his very bones. In all his life he would never be able to forget that voice that could be so cold and yet so burning. He was too afraid to even think the other's name.

He felt a large pair of hands rest on his small, child shoulders. "**You can't get away. You will always be ours. Once a member, always a member.**" He gripped Roxas' shoulders and leaned closer to his ear. "**Remember your place, and choose who you trust wisely. No matter what, you will return, Roxas."**

The blond child quivered. No…No he didn't want this.

"**Roxas.**"

Someone….anyone…no…

"Roxas…..Wake up bonehead!"

Roxas' eyes flew open and in a panic he sent his fist forward, which landed square in Seifer's gut.

The older blond doubled over, holding his stomach and coughing a bit. "Jeez man! You were having a bad dream! I was just trying to wake you up!"

Roxas blinked. Why would Seifer do that? Oh right. The deal. "Sorry Seifer. It's sort of a reflex for me when I get scared."

Seifer stood, holding his wounded stomach."I'll say. You were whimpering like a newborn pup away from its ma. You alright?"

…

Roxas looked down and pinched his own arm. "Nope, not dreaming."

Seifer scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Roxas shook his head. "Nothing really. I'm just not used to you being nice to me. I haven't fallen into the Twilight Zone have I?"

Seifer snorted. "Dude, I don't even know what that is!"

Roxas' jaw dropped. "You're joking. It's the classic horror TV show that's been around forever!"

"I don't own a TV."

"….Whoa."

"Now what?"

Roxas scratched his head. "Well, you were like the last one I expected to not own a TV."

"Okay, we have a TV, just no antenna. We use it for video games only."

"AH." That made much more sense.

That might have been the friendliest conversation the two blonds had ever had. This alliance just might work.

"What were you dreaming about anyways?"

Roxas shook himself from his thoughts and stood to stretch. "Just had a dream, Maybe I'll tell you about it some other time."

Seifer hmmphed. It then occurred to Roxas why Seifer was there. "You won the match?"

Seifer snorted. "Duh! Fatty was easy pickins! No offense course."

"None taken." Roxas replied simply. Pence wasn't really the fighting type to begin with. He just found it strange still that Seifer was being courteous with him. 'No offense'. But, stranger things have happened in the world.

"So now we move forward, yeah?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah. Go talk to Fuu and Rai. Get them snooping."

"Right. What are you going to do?"

Roxas sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Wait here for my brother and talk to him about what we're doing."

"Think he'll listen?"

Roxas looked down at his hands. "He has too….he just has too…"

Seifer shrugged. "Well, good luck with that."

Roxas blinked and looked up at Seifer. He still wasn't used to friendly Seifer. "uhh….right….thanks…"

Seifer smirked. "Careful, if you stare at me long enough you might really fall for me."

Roxas scowled. "Get out of here asshole!"

Seifer laughed. "Good, I like you better when you're you."

"Get out of here before I kick you." Roxas grumbled halfheartedly. Seifer chuckled and left. Roxas was a bit flustered, Seifer being nice was really, really, _**really **_different.

He sat there for a minute thinking, when it occurred to him that he could feel someone else's feelings in the room, someone that he knew very well.

The blond sighed. "Sora, it isn't polite to easedrop."

After a few moments Sora stepped out of a shower stall. He had come to prepare for his match, since it was next. He hid when he heard the two talking. "I guess you don't like Seifer after all…" Sora said slowly and carefully. He was twisting his hands anxiously. "I…I'm sorry I didn't listen."

"And I'm sorry I yelled." Roxas replied. "I have no valid reason for that."

Sora nodded. "I…I was thinking more about backing Riku's friend than my brother…" He walked over and sat by Roxas; then he hugged him. "I'm sorry…That was wrong of me….As much as I like Riku, family comes first." He blinked back tears. "I'm so sorry…"

Sora's guilt, pain, and depression washed over Roxas. He absorbed it like a sponge. Tears formed in his own eyes as he hugged Sora tighter. "You don't have to be sorry. I forgave you the moment I wronged."

The twins sat hugging for a minute, letting it sink in that they forgave each other. Then Sora stood back up and rubbed his eyes. "So, why were you talking with Seifer anyways?"

Roxas rubbed his own eyes with a sigh. "Well…I thought he drugged Kairi, cause we all know that she couldn't have fallen asleep in the shower herself."

Sora nodded. "She can't even fall asleep at a sleepover, much less in a shower."

Roxas nodded. "So I pulled him outside to accuse him and get him to fess up." Roxas sighed again and rubbed the back of his neck. "I jumped the gun. He didn't do it. He even made some pretty good points." Sora rose a brow in disbelief. Good points? Seifer? "I know, but he did. And after pointing out that no one would believe him, he agreed to help me find who did drug her. Him, Fuu and Rai."

"What's the catch?" Roxas explained the terms he and Seifer had agreed to. Sore frowned. "Why'd you agree to that?" Roxas? Do Seifer favors? Something must be wrong with the world.

Roxas sighed yet again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "It was the only thing I could come up with on such short notice that Seifer would like."

Sora sighed himself. "Yeah, I see your point."

Roxas shook his head. "Well nevermind for now. Go get ready for your dual."

Sora looked at the clock. "Oh snap!" He had used up eleven of his fifteen minutes. He rushed to his locker and grabbed his minerals. They were on a ring that easily clipped to his belt. He gave his brother a quick hug. "Thanks Rox! I'll talk to you later! Bye!"

"Good luck!" The blond called as Sora rushed out of the room. The blond sighed and looked up at the TV.

Sora ran onto the field, donning his wand.

The crowd cheered again. They weren't interested in another default match.

Sora took a deep breath and closed his eyes to calm his nerves. He had been waiting and training for weeks and weeks. He had learned new things, and improved since last year. He wasn't going to back out now.

He opened his eyes and raised his wand in the air at the same time as the other teen on the otherside of the arena.

"Both contestants are ready!" The announcer called. "Then on your marks….fight!"

Rikku immediately began drawing the most advanced rune gate alchemy had. The Chimera Spawn.

Sora swallowed dryly. Rikku was of course not the strongest of the strong, so any chimera she summoned would not be any larger than herself, but they were nasty, ferocious creatures that would shred their own summoner's face if it didn't trust he or she enough.

And to top it all off and for those who have not noticed, Sora was a Glamourist, and Rikku was an Alchemist. Alchemy had the advantage over Glamour.

This was gonna be fuuuuuuuuuuun.

Sora set about drawing his own Fairy Ring rune. A chimera would take time to summon. She would be vulnerable while she summoned. This was probably Sora's best chance to attack, and maybe his only.

Sora finished his rune first, and immediately started to summon his fairy. He wasn't like his brother, or Riku. He couldn't summon two runes or creatures or anything at once, and he couldn't do hand-to-hand combat. All he could do was summon and try to fight alongside his creatures. He never let them do the fighting, unless it was life or death, or the creatures insisted.

And lucky for him, it was that kind of attitude that allowed him to summon the strongest familiar a Glamourist could have.

Sora started drawing up his second rune gate as his fairy popped out, and as Rikku finished her first. Sora couldn't wait for her to summon the chimera. He pointed at Rikku. "Destroy her gate!"

The fairy took off flying towards the gate. Sora already began summoning another.

Rikku finally seemed to realize her mistake of leaving herself open. She began drawing up another gate, the Laboratory gate. She needed some homunculi to back her up.

She didn't get one until Sora's third fairy appeared. The first one had done very little damage to her gates, as he expected, but it had been worth a shot. The creature popped out of the rune. It resembled a walking lightbulb. And then it flashed.

Sora had to cover his eyes and look away, so did his fairies, and even the audience. His fairies had to stop attacking because they couldn't see.

This was fine by Sora though, he didn't need to summon a familiar. The Tatania rune was finished. He summoned up his power reserves to call upon the Morning Star.

He was too late. A roar unlike anything in the norm echoed through the stadium. It was as terrifying as meeting a hungry lion. It echoed like an angry dragon. And it was high pitched like a goat's bleat.

Sora couldn't agree that he had never heard anything like it, because he had one other time before, and it was something he had not wished to ever hear again.

Sora covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. His knees were shaking. He couldn't fight. He just couldn't fight a chimera. Not after then. He was going to forfeit. He was going to raise his arm and send up the flare for surrender, when suddenly it all just stopped. The chimera roar ceased. The flash blinding everyone was gone.

Sora slowly opened his eyes.

There was a dull murmur rising from the crowd. The announcer's voice came on over head. "Well, folks, I'm not sure what happened, but it appears that Sora won!"

Sora blinked. "What?" He looked across the field.

Rikku was down. All her runes and familiars were gone.

Sora didn't understand. His fairies barely scratched her gates. Sora watched the magical doctors come cart Rikku off to the infirmary to see Aerith.

The brunette left the arena himself, thinking.

All things considered, it appeared that she passed out, but Sora didn't believe it. Rikku was very strong willed and hard headed. She couldn't just 'pass out.'

Sora passed the locker room. He would come back for Roxas after he explained ro everyone else the misunderstanding.

He reached the rec room and stopped. There was loud arguing coming from inside the room, and it sounded angry. The brunette tentatively pushed the door open.

"I'm telling you that we didn't do anything!" seifer shouted at Axel.

Axel snorted. "Like hell! You seduced Roxas and got him to drug people so the fights would turn out the way you wanted!"

"You're wrong!"

Yuna and Paine glared at the beanie capped boy. "You sick bastard! Playing with poor Roxas' emotions and making him do that to Kairi and Rikku!"

"I didn't!"

Well it seemed like the others finally realized that someone drugged the girls, but they were throwing their accusations at the wrong person.

Seifer glared back. "What the punk feels is his own problem. And I had nothing to do with it. I say let the idiot fall in love with whoever he wants and let them make him miserable."

"You jerk!" Axel brought his fist up, preparing to sock Seifer hard in the face.

Sora ran in and stood between the two. "Axel stop it!" He didn't like Seifer, but it would leave a bad taste in his mouth if he let Axel sock Seifer just for this.

Axel froze and gritted his teeth. "Get out of the way Sora, I'm going to make this jerk pay for seducing your brother."

"He didn't seduce Roxas!" Sora yelled. "They didn't even kiss in the hall!"

Whispers arose in the room. Axel scowled. "I saw them!"

"No!" Seifer snapped. "All you saw was our faces really close together. We didn't kiss!"

Axel was faltering now. "Then…Then what were you doing?"

"Talking." Seifer said. "The punk thought I was the guy who drugged Kairi. He confronted me, and figured out he was wrong."

Axel deflated greatly. "Oh…" He felt like an incredible ass now.

Sora let out a sigh of relief, as did Demyx. They really didn't want a fight.

Yuna crossed her arms. "Then who drugged Kairi and Rikku? She would have never lost the fight if that weren't the case, no offense Sora."

"None taken." Sora replied. "He figured that he was going to lose the fight anyways. "So, you guys are cool with Roxas again?"

There were noises of agreement all around the room. Sora smiled, greatly relieved. "Alright. I'm gonna go get him." He turned and left the room.

Seifer crossed his arm, staring expectantly at the red head. "Well?"

Axel scowled. "'Well' what?"

"Where's my apology?" Axel could have choked on the snort he made, it was so big. "You must be joking."

"No, I ain't." Seifer snapped. "You blamed me for shit I haven't done, and I don't like it. I wanna hear you say 'sorry.'"

Axel gritted his teeth. "No, you're still an ass that torments people smaller than you."

"No I don't! I choose potential people to join my gang!"

Axel opened his mouth to retort, then shut it. What Seifer said made sense in a strange way. It may have been because Axel hadn't been there that long, but he hadn't actually seen Seifer bother anyone but Roxas. But even so, it wasn't right.

"So all this time you were just bullying Roxas to get him to join your stupid gang?" Axel gritted out.

"You make it sound like a bad thing when you say it like that."

Axel opened his mouth to retort once more, but this time he was swiftly silenced by a sock being roughly stuffed into his, for lack of better terms, 'pie hole.'

Roxas stood below Axel, dusting off his hands like he just had a 'job well done' moment. "There. If you can't say anything nice, stick a sock in it."

Axel scowled as best he could with a sock in his mouth. As much as he thought Roxas being short was cute, it was impossible to see the squirt if he was real close.

Roxas turned to Seifer, grabbing Axel's shirt collar. He yanked down, forcing the red head to bend over to keep from choking. Damn this kid was strong. "Axel apologizes for acting like a douchebag and begs your forgiveness."

Axel ripped the sock out of his mouth in outrage. "Like hell I-" And once more, he was effectively silenced by Roxas. This time the blond slapped a hand over his mouth.

Seifer smirked. "Thanks shrimp, but I don't plan on accepting one from you when he owes it."

Roxas shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try." The blond's face twisted into one of disgust when a wet, squishy object began rubbing and pushing against his hand. Roxas ripped his hand away. "Axel you sicko!"

Axel smirked and wiped his mouth. "Now you know to keep your hands away from my mouth." Axel said simply.

"Oh yeah?" Roxas snapped sourly. "What if I told you that there's no more toilet paper so I did it hobo style?"

Axel effectively turned green, which in turn made everyone in the room laugh.

* * *

Okay, first REVIEW CORNER OF DOOM!

youngnozomi: Roxas and Seifer had their faces reall close together a few times, and from the wrong angle, it looks like kissing.

And every one else thank you for the reviews!

And now the **_IMPORTANT PART!_**

I promised like a month or so ago that this would come out the week after the In or Out chapter came out. Well school activities piled on top of me, and someone moved my notebook! So it took a long time to find it. So to make up for making you wait, I want my readers to vote in the reviews, and this is what for: I will write up any aspect of the story for you as a bonus chapter, ex. When Roxas met Zexion, when Cloud ran away with his brothers, anything! I will npick whatever gets the most votes, and I might do other, close call votes as extra bonuses at random between chapter. So be sure to vote! Thank You and I'm sorry!**_  
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